patrick.net

Quigley says

That's basically productivity.

It's not that simple. You can have lots of productivity, but be producing the wrong kind of product or too much for the market. It doesn't matter how efficiently you produce weasel condoms if no weasels are buying them. To add value, you must produce things that are needed. We don't need more rubber sporks at any price, and the market for Halloween decorations just took a major shit. Any additional production of such would negatively affect value.

That's where the wonder of capitalism comes in. If a business keeps making the wrong product they will eventually go out of business. e.g.. Kodak. If a company makes the right products, they will thrive e.g.. Apple.

Peter P says

As a result, this imbalance had been corrected.

And a bigger imbalance was falsely created by mercantilism.

Peter P says

Now, to improve your life, you have to take economic risks.

Become a day trader?

dublin hillz says

A wave of red has descended upon our nation; the soviet citizens from 1917-1989 can relate...

So let's hope the Clinton brand will return. We need the balance.

Social conservatism is *NOT* better than socialism.

Let's not forget about Scott Walker's huge victory last night!

He makes union thugs cry!

indigenous says

Peter P says

Now, to improve your life, you have to take economic risks.

Become a day trader?

There are many ways. You can start a business. But if you must be an employee, you may want to see your company as your customer.

Be agile.

Moreover, seeking safety did not turn out well recently. Think AAA-rated mortgage-back securities. "Lifelong" security of employment is just as laughable in this day and age.

Too many morons go after the mirage of financial safety, and safety, for lack of a better word, is overpriced.

Peter P says

Too many morons go after the mirage of financial safety, and safety, for lack of a better word, is overpriced.

My advice, what ever you do be productive. In the real sense of the word.

zzyzzx says

Let's not forget about Scott Walker's huge victory last night!

He makes union thugs cry!

Union has no place in the modern world. They stand in the way of market efficiency.

Most people pay a net premium for having unions around.

Peter P says

Most people pay a net premium for having unions around.

Calif is that on steroids, they sure as fuck have no place in the public sector.

indigenous says

Peter P says

Too many morons go after the mirage of financial safety, and safety, for lack of a better word, is overpriced.

My advice, what ever you do be productive. In the real sense of the word.

That word has little meaning nowadays. I doubt developing yet another me-too app is a productive endeavor.

Life is a tragedy. The best one can do is to be the comic relief.

Peter P says

I doubt developing yet another me-too app is a productive endeavor.

Yup as would I, but that is beside the point.

Peter P says

Life is a tragedy. The best one can do is to be the comic relief.

I have to disagree, that sort of apathy will/is become a self fulfilling prophecy.

indigenous says

Peter P says

Most people pay a net premium for having unions around.

Calif is that on steroids, they sure as fuck have no place in the public sector.

IMO they have no place anywhere. It is really a form of labor cartel and collusion.

Peter P says

Productivity improvement is a necessarily condition to any real wage increase.

Much agreed. Walmart has been more and more productive, while at the same time their employees make less and less. If Walmart could, they'd turn it into a company store and stop paying their slaves they call "employees" while at it.

indigenous says

Peter P says

Life is a tragedy. The best one can do is to be the comic relief.

I have to disagree, that sort of apathy will/is become a self fulfilling prophecy.

It does not have to be apathetic. Like Greek tragedies. Life can build on them.

zzyzzx says

Let's not forget about Scott Walker's huge victory last night!

He makes union thugs cry!

http://dailycaller.com/2014/11/04/scott-walker-wins-in-wisconsin-2/

Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker won re-election against Democratic challenger Mary Burke in a race labor unions were keenly interested in.

Back in 2011, Walker and the Republican-controlled state legislature passed a state law, known as Act 10, which significantly changed the collective bargaining process for most public employees within the state.

Peter P says

indigenous says

Peter P says

Most people pay a net premium for having unions around.

Calif is that on steroids, they sure as fuck have no place in the public sector.

IMO they have no place anywhere. It is really a form of labor cartel and collusion.

I never liked unions, they always tried to stranglehold their employees, raised taxes on private sector, and they always voted against social security because they got pensions instead so SS mattered not to them.

Nothing more than just another corporate style cartel.

Strategist says

Back in 2011, Walker and the Republican-controlled state legislature passed a state law, known as Act 10, which significantly changed the collective bargaining process for most public employees within the state.

Hopefully that would lead a global wave to dismantle unions worldwide.

Strategist says

Back in 2011, Walker and the Republican-controlled state legislature passed a state law, known as Act 10, which significantly changed the collective bargaining process for most public employees within the state.

In Calif we have a guy named JB who did the opposite back in the early 70s, and it is now Frankenstein's monster. What a fucking asshole.

FortWayne says

Peter P says

Productivity improvement is a necessarily condition to any real wage increase.

Much agreed. Walmart has been more and more productive, while at the same time their employees make less and less. If Walmart could, they'd turn it into a company store and stop paying their slaves they call "employees" while at it.

Sadly, that is probably true.

The morale: become an employee only if you have some pricing power

Only market "laws" can give any group pricing power. Legislated laws can at most provide bargaining power. However, there will be no bargaining when there is no market.

APOCALYPSEFUCKisShostikovitch says

Ballsy! The RNC will get her to file legislation to repeal the 13th and 14th Amendment so she can prove how true to party even Negresses can be

Fuck You

Peter P says

Much agreed. Walmart has been more and more productive, while at the same time their employees make less and less.

Walmart has raised the standard of living of their customers, I don't hear the customers complaining.

Those are entry level jobs like any other, comparing them to career type jobs makes as much sense as an elephant in a bird cage. Walmart actually pays quite well for management jobs.

indigenous says

Walmart has raised the standard of living of their customers, I don't hear the customers complaining.

They surely made poverty slightly more "glamorous."

I am a fan of Walmart, even though I do not shop there. Target is more pleasant.

indigenous says

Those are entry level jobs like any other, comparing them to career type jobs makes as much sense as an elephant in a bird cage. Walmart actually pays quite well for management jobs.

But sadly, many people think *any* job ought to be a career-track position.

I even think a "career" is overrated. One ought to go through many transformations. Self-actualization is the real goal.

Peter P says

I am a fan of Walmart, even though I do not shop there. Target is more
pleasant.

Walmart definitely has the "savages" customer market segment cornered. Every time some BS happens like customers bullrushing the store, fighting, trampling each other, it seems to always happen there. Target customers are much more refined and civilized. Fuck walmart!

Peter P says

I even think a "career" is overrated. One ought to go through many transformations. Self-actualization is the real goal.

As long as we are waxing philosophical , I will go with these profound words.

Today you are You, that is truer than true. There is no one alive who is Youer than You

dublin hillz says

Target customers are much more refined and civilized.

Agreed.

Walmart saw a niche and filled it nicely. Good for them.

indigenous says

Today you are You, that is truer than true. There is no one alive who is Youer than You

You don't even know if I exist.

Peter P says

You don't even know if I exist.

Yes, Nihilism, what a stupid philosophy that is.

Consider Thomism, things are caused they are not happenstance, there are weather and acts of God but the rest is YOU.

I think they had it right at the end of Forest Gump, more profound words.

Walmart is proof that the ultimate goal of capitalism is to get the government to pay your profits. Walmart nearly always makes sweetheart deals for land and utilities with whatever city it infests. They also "wisely" keep most of the employees part time so they can avoid paying benefits like health care. This means that not only are their employees going to be getting healthcare on the public dime, but they'll also be eligible for welfare, food stamps, and section 8 housing! Whatever they make at their "job" is just funny money, while the taxpayers pick up the tab of actually paying their employees.
Brilliant! Naked capitalism riding on the back of socialism!

Quigley says

Brilliant! Naked capitalism riding on the back of socialism!

BTW where do you shop?

APOCALYPSEFUCKisShostikovitch says

Ballsy! The RNC will get her to file legislation to repeal the 13th and 14th Amendment so she can prove how true to party even Negresses can be.

There was even one like to this. I can imagine the heat "CaptainShuddup" would have got if he had spoken the same way about a Black Democrat woman.

Huge validating victory for the gargantuan pools of Dark Money.

Right now in America 47 individuals own more than all 160 million people (about 60 million households) below the median wealth level of about $53,000.

Maybe now that wealth can winnow down to perhaps just the hideous Sheldon "Jabba" Adelson, the sclerotic Walton family, and the Koch psychopaths.

Meanwhile, in the world's eight largest economy... all major statewide offices went to Democrats. Voters passed Prop 2 which will divert 1.5% of revenues to a rainy day fund to pay down debt and help out in lean years. There's snow in the Sierras and its sunny outside.

EBGuy says

Voters passed Prop 2 which will divert 1.5% of revenues to a rainy day fund to pay down debt and help out in lean years. There's snow in the Sierras and its sunny outside.

A lot of people living in East Germany thought it was just fine, too.

dublin hillz says

A wave of red has descended upon our nation; the soviet citizens from 1917-1989 can relate...

WTF?

http://www.youtube.com/embed/mC4A7xZbtMg&t=8s

Peter P says

global market to become more efficient.

For the elites who run it, sure.

Strategist says

Quigley says

That's basically productivity.

It's not that simple. You can have lots of productivity, but be producing the wrong kind of product or too much for the market. It doesn't matter how efficiently you produce weasel condoms if no weasels are buying them. To add value, you must produce things that are needed. We don't need more rubber sporks at any price, and the market for Halloween decorations just took a major shit. Any additional production of such would negatively affect value.

That's where the wonder of capitalism comes in. If a business keeps making the wrong product they will eventually go out of business. e.g.. Kodak. If a company makes the right products, they will thrive e.g.. Apple.

And the rest of us go to hell in a hand basket due to their anti-human, anti-environmental practices.

zzyzzx says

Let's not forget about Scott Walker's huge victory last night!

He makes union thugs cry!

And further we go down in the race to the bottom...

indigenous says

Peter P says

Most people pay a net premium for having unions around.

Calif is that on steroids, they sure as fuck have no place in the public sector.

The price not to have them is much higher. Think in terms of stagnant wage for 20 years or worse, with the help of neoliberal policies, jobs moved off shore for cheaper labor.

In a perfect world, she and "yellow-cake" Colin Powell would be an item.

( and if combined with Condi Rice , what a trio for the Republicans.....).

Did she campaign with a Confederate flag ? Where does the GOP branch of the War Party Of the Rich find these pancake contenders?

Diva24 says

The price not to have them is much higher. Think in terms of stagnant wage for 20 years or worse, with the help of neoliberal policies, jobs moved off shore for cheaper labor.

Au contraire, you subscribe to the idea that government spending creates more economic activity than it takes in, a sort of perpetual motion machine. That is just not the way it works.

The way it does work is that money given to public sector worker above what the private sector would pay (which in the case of Federal workers is about double) is taken out of the economy to be exchanged for private sector goods.

Think of it this way if the sales tax is raised 1 cent or 1% of the GDP. The calif GDP is 2 trillion dollars, so the increase in taxes is 20 billion dollars. That is 20 billion dollars that is spent on the public sector that is not spent in the private sector.

I know you will not hear a word I'm saying but none the less what you are saying just isn't so.