Politically who ya like?12929
 Masculinity takes a holiday.
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EbayMafia private msg quote post Address this user | |
| My emotional side says Cap but my pragmatic side has to agree with @IronMan that in the real world Super Powers would have to be regulated to a greater degree than a high powered rifle. Funny you bring up this subject though, the other day I was thinking about the sides they ended up on. Captain America, USA Rah, Rah, Law and Order ex-military presumably very conservative is the resistance to having supers regulated by the government that he loyally fights for. Tony Stark, brilliant Scion of industrialist Billionaire, presumably with low regard for rules and regulations, no loyalty to any government or organization, just completely folds any resistance and becomes an almost gleeful field enforcer in the effort to hand over control of the Avengers to government oversight. With Cap and Iron Man I think the writers got it right as to which personality would go to which side of the Civil War. |
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 Rock, Paper, Scissors, Lizard, Spock
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Tedsaid private msg quote post Address this user | |
Quote:Originally Posted by Studley_Dudley Oh, pshaw ... the Post Office does an amazing job and has for years. They are struggling right now, due to a Postmaster General who was appointed to purposefully undermine and disrupt US mail service. But besides that, the USPS is the best in the world at what they do. That's why they are often contracted out by UPS, FedEx, and Amazon to deliver the "last mile."     |
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 Collector
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Jabberwookie private msg quote post Address this user | |
| @EbaySeller I always felt like it would have been more logical for the sides to have been the more established heroes (Avengers, FF, Alpha Flight) and the more outlaw type (Spidey, X-Men, Daredevil) duking it out. If we think of this in real world terms, it would make sense to have some kind of licensing or regulation, but the X-Men would certainly not want to register. Neither would Spidey, due to his secret identity (does anyone have those anymore?) I'd always felt like that would have been a more interesting debate on public safety versus individual rights. |
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 Beaten by boat oars
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Studley_Dudley private msg quote post Address this user | |
| @Tedsaid it's more in line with the Postal Reorganization Act of 1970 which reset the USPS as a more corporate-like and independent body within the federal government. Before that, the federal government ran the post office into the ground. It was a shit show. | ||
| Post 29 • IP flag post | ||
 Looking for love in all the wrong places.
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robo private msg quote post Address this user | |
Quote:Originally Posted by roboDon't think I even read my own question. Since I say 'like.' But meaning that as like to vote for. |
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| Post 30 • IP flag post | ||
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Looking for love in all the wrong places.
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robo private msg quote post Address this user | |
Quote:Originally Posted by Studley_Dudleysomehow this got into the profibility of the us mail service - funny. |
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Looking for love in all the wrong places.
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robo private msg quote post Address this user | |
Quote:Originally Posted by TedsaidSo you sound like you are pro Iron Man then...?! |
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| Post 32 • IP flag post | ||
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Rock, Paper, Scissors, Lizard, Spock
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Tedsaid private msg quote post Address this user | |
Quote:Originally Posted by Studley_Dudley Wow! I wasn't even born yet. So yeah, I have no idea how good or bad it was back then. Anyway, I'm glad to see when people post things as a reminder that the post office is a government service. Like the military, or judges, or parks and libraries. It's great that they've been better the last 50 years than they were before. And they do a fantastic job now. But there's no reason they need to earn a profit. There isn't a mythical power in the profit, anyway. Bill Gates isn't motivated by profit, but by excellence. Jeff Bezos is the same. Or your doctor, or lawyer, or so many professionals. And anyway, Bezos is just one guy, at a company that employs thousands who DON'T work for a profit margin, and are motivated by many other factors. I've seen more waste in corporate offices than I've ever seen in a post office, or a classroom, or a government building. In terms of buying and selling comics, thank god there's a postal service!  |
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| Post 33 • IP flag post | ||
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Masculinity takes a holiday.
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EbayMafia private msg quote post Address this user | |
| @Tedsaid This is not an attack on the Post Office but if you've ever managed small company shipping as I have you would know that those are cherry-picked numbers are are probably not the best way to defend the Post Office. When you added weight and size, 95% of the time it was cheaper to ship with a private company. But it's also not fair to compare a private company to a public service like the USPS. The private companies have the luxury to cherry-pick the most lucrative business and ignore the difficult margins. The public service Post Office has to serve everybody, regardless how difficult or expensive it is. Once you start adding weight, the few places where the Post Office will be cheaper than Fed-Ex or UPS will be difficult places like Hawaii, Alaska or rural routes. And it's not a little bit cheaper, it's like half the price. You're absolutely right about the subcontracting of the final mile in many cases, because the Post Office is already going there, so no need for a UPS, Fed-Ex or Amazon truck to go down that same road. I believe the best defense of the Post Office is to point out that like the City Bus vs private Taxi, the Post Office will serve the marginal places that for profit companies would charge ridiculous amounts to go to. | ||
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Rock, Paper, Scissors, Lizard, Spock
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Tedsaid private msg quote post Address this user | |
Quote:Originally Posted by robo What?? No way, man ... Cap'n A all the way! I bleed red, white, and blue. And so do postal workers! Nothing more American than that!  |
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Looking for love in all the wrong places.
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robo private msg quote post Address this user | |
Quote:Originally Posted by CaptainCanuckI'd say that was roughly Caps' point. And just because you have super powers one should not lose their freedoms. That's my spin - always fault on person freedom. |
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Looking for love in all the wrong places.
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robo private msg quote post Address this user | |
| What movie did you guys watch?! US Postal Service? Iron Man or Captain America? lol. | ||
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Rock, Paper, Scissors, Lizard, Spock
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Tedsaid private msg quote post Address this user | |
Quote:Originally Posted by EbaySeller You know, post offices use to also serve as rural banks. I think they should get into that again. Let the very poorest - or anyone! - easily get checking and savings accounts, like with a credit union. Offer to cash checks and get rid of those usury loan-shark "payday lenders" that charge outrageous fees and interest rates. It totally makes sense, and could be very lucrative for the USPS. I've seen other proposals for things the USPS could get into, with their well-established presence and reach. Some of them quite good, and still providing a valuable service to the citizens. Sure, some companies will complain. But bookstores are still in business, even though libraries lend books for free. Can you imagine the doom-and-gloom outcry if THAT were proposed today? Heh. |
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Masculinity takes a holiday.
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EbayMafia private msg quote post Address this user | |
Quote:Originally Posted by robo @robo When you titled the thread, I'm pretty sure you recognized that a few rabbit holes would be run down here and there before the thread gets locked. |
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| Post 39 • IP flag post | ||
 PLOD
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theCapraAegagrus private msg quote post Address this user | |
| Personality-wise: Team Iron Man. Cap's character aligns more with my thoughts, though. |
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| Post 40 • IP flag post | ||
 If the viagra is working you should be well over a 9.8.
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xkonk private msg quote post Address this user | |
| Coincidentally, last night I read the Outlawed one shot from earlier this year. It's basically the superhuman registration act but for kids (Miles Morales, Kamala Khan, etc.). Cap shows up for one panel and is against this one, too. | ||
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 Collector
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poka private msg quote post Address this user | |
| @Tedsaid Would have been different if you had chosen to compare a 4 lbs package. Anyway - what does cost represent - what the courier charges or the true cost? Btw - the current post master is managing USPS as a standalone business not as a public service. |
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Collector
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Jabberwookie private msg quote post Address this user | |
| @Tedsaid I think you'd agree that the big reason private companies want to supplant the USPS is for the USPS database. From my understanding that's the real prize for these companies to make a sizable profit. Back on topic, I'm curious how registration takes away freedoms? There's a lot of debate in poli sci circles about how there are basically two kinds of freedom: the freedom from and the freedom to. In the US, we are more concerned with freedom from. Freedom from regulations, freedom from being told what to do. In the Freedom to camp, we have freedom to have clean air, to have clean water, to have a just and equitable system, etc... Those two views are always in opposition, but nature loves equilibrium, so we are most likely seeing a shift back to "freedom to" becoming more important. The important thing to remember is that no one is ever against freedom; people just have different views of what it looks like. Some people see living in a squalid cabin with no help, but no regulations as freedom. Some people see having the choice to send their kids to well-performing public schools, and having clean water, and fair wages as freedom. It's not an either/or situation. It's a balance between both views and it requires cooperation and compromise. Something that is almost completely lacking in today's society. Ok, I'm off my soapbox... |
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| Post 43 • IP flag post | ||
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Collector
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Jabberwookie private msg quote post Address this user | |
| one other thing to add, is usually when discussions about freedom happen, most of the people talk about "My freedom" and don't have much to say about the freedoms of others. Many, many years ago, I'm watching tv with my grandfather, and they showed someone burning the US flag. It was the first time I'd ever seen that, and it made me angry. I said something about how they should arrest and lock up the person. My grandfather, got a little misty-eyed, but he said this to me: "This is why we fought World War II. I fought so people could do this, even if I don't agree with it." Now, some background here, my grandfather was one of the first US soldiers to see a concentration camp. What he saw was so horrifying that he told NO ONE for 30 years, and one night after having too much to drink let it slip, then answered just a few questions. So, what I took from that was a man who had seen the absolute worst that man could do to another man, still felt that while he didn't think burning an American flag was appropriate, he knew people had that right, and he was proud to have protected it. Just a few thoughts. I do not want this to get into a political pissing match. |
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Quote:Originally Posted by Tedsaid When Bill ran Microsoft whatever he was motivated by lead to him protecting the assets of the shareholders and he was one of the biggest ones. His job was to ensure the shareholder received a return on their investment. That's what it was all about when you lead a publicly traded company. That's what Bezos is doing. If anyone believes the people that lead giant corporations have altruistic ideas and that's what moved them forward then they are walking through life with blinders on. (One side note, the only billionaire who I believe is and was driven by altruiusm is Chuck Finney. Look him up and you'll understand why I write this. Unlike all the other billionaires who have signed the Giving Pledge he gave it ALL away and it took over 35 years to do it). |
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 Captain Corrector
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| . Gates’ immense wealth shows that his company could have charged way less for their products and still turned a healthy profit. His philanthropy is ultimately funded by consumers who overpaid for his products. |
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| Post 46 • IP flag post | ||
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Masculinity takes a holiday.
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EbayMafia private msg quote post Address this user | |
Quote:Originally Posted by Jabberwookie @Jabberwookie The Freedom from idea comes from the constitution. The freedom to idea comes from a belief in entitlements. We don't do a good enough job in discussing the difference between rights and entitlements. a "right" means the government can't try to stop you. An entitlement means someone else will pay for it. We have the right to pursue happiness, we are not entitled to it. We have the right to own land, we are not entitled to it at someone else expense. We have the right to look good in a swimsuit, we are not entitled to it without putting in the work. Also, the constitution give us the right to Blind justice, not Social Justice. Blind justice is objective, Social justice is subjective and arbitrary. BTW, I'm not saying entitlements are wrong, they just aren't guaranteed by the constitution. Society has decided that childhood education and access to health care are entitlements regardless if you can afford it. But there is nothing in the constitution that give individual citizens access to someone else wallet. |
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Rock, Paper, Scissors, Lizard, Spock
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Tedsaid private msg quote post Address this user | |
Quote:Originally Posted by Towmater It's absolutely true that officers of a publicly-traded company have a fiduciary duty to maximize shareholder value. (Side note: I think we should change the law, so that companies have the option to chose other worthy, overriding goals, so they aren't forced to put making money above, for example, common decency. But I digress.) I think if you want to get at Bill Gates' - or anyone's - motivation for founding and leading a successful corporation, you can look at their own words. The mission statement that Gates and Paul Allen set early on for Microsoft was: "A computer on every desk and in every home." That was their stated, overarching goal. Here is an interesting article about Gates, where he talks about the early days, and what about Microsoft makes him proud to have been a part of it, and other motivating factors. Quote: Originally Posted by Towmater I didn't mean to give the impression that these motivators were altruistic. I think striving for excellence is a worthy goal, but I wouldn't define it as working solely for the benefit of others. "A computer in every home" could kind of be seen as altruistic; but I don't think the way they went about pursuing that can be. They certainly wanted to get compensated for what they did, and to make a profit from doing that. Anyway, Microsoft did a LOT of underhanded, and even illegal, things during Gates tenure. I'm not putting him on a pedestal. Microsoft is, in many ways, an awful company still. But the competitive spirit that drives people and corporations is not necessarily driven by desire for profits. I think that idea is a common fallacy. Bezos isn't going to change anything he does, just because his potential to make two billion dollars per week is, say, halved. (He actually has made $2.25 billion per week so far in 2020.) Profit is far from his main driver in his professional life, I think. |
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| Post 48 • IP flag post | ||
 Secret Moderator
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MatterEaterLad private msg quote post Address this user | |
Quote:Originally Posted by EbaySeller I've been selling a ton of books overseas. USPS is always cheaper than FedEx. And international FedEx prices soared once covid hit. I asked several FedEx reps about the price increase and they said it was because they subcontract on commercial flights, and with those flights diminished, the prices skyrocketed. I sent a package to Malaysia that cost $130/USPS but would have cost $480/FedEx. It was jaw-dropping. |
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Masculinity takes a holiday.
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EbayMafia private msg quote post Address this user | |
Quote:Originally Posted by Tedsaid @Tedsaid Business founders who start out striving for excellence, and achieve some level of excellence, quickly become aware that the dollar is the universal measuring stick of excellence. If the profit dollar didn't motivate them at the start, it will once they start realizing that it defines them to the rest of the world. I assume that light bulb goes off around the time that they first start seeking investor money. |
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Collector*
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Towmater private msg quote post Address this user | |
| @Tedsaid One has to wonder how much of the article you linked to was a reshaping of Microsoft/Gate's history. Paul Allen's book paints things a bit differently and paints Gates differently. | ||
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 Collector
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doog private msg quote post Address this user | |
Quote:Originally Posted by Towmater |
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If the viagra is working you should be well over a 9.8.
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xkonk private msg quote post Address this user | |
Quote:Originally Posted by Jabberwookie In Civil War, the X-Men were against registration because they know what happens every time the government has tried to do something with mutants. Maybe it starts with something innocent, like "don't we all deserve to know who's a mutant?", but it always ends with Sentinels. Heck, the government was already watching them with Sentinels when the series started, and went to watch them help pick up Stamford. The Sentinels didn't help pick up, they just monitored the X-Men. |
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Collector
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Jabberwookie private msg quote post Address this user | |
Quote:Originally Posted by xkonk Thanks for that reminder. I was on a limited budget so had to be picky on what I picked up back in those days. I still think the X-Men should have played a much bigger part for all the reasons you stated. |
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Looking for love in all the wrong places.
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robo private msg quote post Address this user | |
| TIME OUT! Y'all taking about Bill Gates, the US Mail?! WTF. Some ADHD going on here... I might care but don't. Comic themed film question was - in the film Civil War who ya voting Captain America or Iron Man. I saw it as you want a bigger governmental control or less government control. Not a Captain America fan but in that film I was all in with him. And I'm not a fan of Bill Gates - isn't he like into the devil now? And the US mail - I like the stamps sometimes... I voted did you? If you voted for Gates, US mail, the hulk, punisher, Reed, Captain Canuck or you don't like either - I don't know what else to tell ya - but Capatin America or Iron Man in Civil War movie. Pick one. The US election is coming up soon and some of you may have some real issues in the booth based on your performance here. This is practice... choose one. | ||
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