101–110 of 110 posts
Isn't anyone else simply flabbergasted that the OP has never seen Blade Runner?? I'm not sure how being "too young" can be a valid excuse unless you are under 15 years old.
If you haven't yet seen Blade Runner , I emphatically advise you to avoid the version with narration (theatrical release).
Of all the government created monopolies, the cable monopolies are some of the worst. If cable companies had to compete to keep business, they'd offer better service and treat their employees better. Southwest airlines is a good example of a company that has to keep costs low, but does this in part by treating their employees very well. Notice that they charge ever higher and higher fees, in part because the municipa…
Cable monopolies are not government-created. They are government-backed in limited circumstances . In most of California, for example, there is hefty competition for cable/satellite services and high-speed internet, despite cable television monopolies. > Notice that they charge ever higher and higher fees, in part because the municipalities are on the take here and get a cut of the fees, but also because the demand i…
Entirely wrong. This story is littered with false economies. E.g.: Rather than giving him good tools, they wasted the technician's time. And another technician's time. And more later, to get the helpful tech back his tool. And let's not forget that the whole error was caused by a poorly trained tech who ruined the tool. And that's before we get to the large amount of customer time wasted.
Of course, when you're a vastly profitable monopoly, who gives a fuck? There's little reward for internal efficiency, and there's definitely no reward for caring about the customer's time.
And yes, it's a monopoly. Per the GAO, only 4% of cable marketplaces in the US have effective competition:
http://wraltechwire.com/business/tech_wire/opinion/story/116...
Earlier quoted context omitted.
The monopoly lies in the fact that municipalities need not provide a franchise to more than one cable operator (such as TWC). In some municipalities you can switch Internet service from, say, cable to telephone-based service (such as U-Verse) but in many others this is not a realistic option.
The ability to pipe TV over IP is dramatically weakening the natural cable company monopolies. In AT&T phone service territory, as they upgrade their network you can switch to U-Verse for not just internet but also television, with a much improved set-top box experience. I don't agree with the claim that opening up the ability to lay a cable network to everyone would help things -- heck, look how slow the deployment…
I think we might get there one day, but I suspect they're barely noticing it right now.
Of all the government created monopolies, the cable monopolies are some of the worst. If cable companies had to compete to keep business, they'd offer better service and treat their employees better. Southwest airlines is a good example of a company that has to keep costs low, but does this in part by treating their employees very well. Notice that they charge ever higher and higher fees, in part because the municipa…
How many times are you willing to let a startup tear up your yard? Or are you referring to the proposals that government should force private companies to share the critical infrastructure they created at their own expense? I can't imagine that sitting very well with libertarians or people vehemently opposed to government monopolies. The only way last mile utilities are going to be fair is if government steps in (cor…
Of all the government created monopolies, the cable monopolies are some of the worst. If cable companies had to compete to keep business, they'd offer better service and treat their employees better. Southwest airlines is a good example of a company that has to keep costs low, but does this in part by treating their employees very well. Notice that they charge ever higher and higher fees, in part because the municipa…
How many times are you willing to let a startup tear up your yard? Or are you referring to the proposals that government should force private companies to share the critical infrastructure they created at their own expense? I can't imagine that sitting very well with libertarians or people vehemently opposed to government monopolies. The only way last mile utilities are going to be fair is if government steps in (cor…
Wait. He first "hacks" the order form to make the "supply my own modem" checkbox available, and then complains that "Time Warner should have known, based on the options selected during my purchase, that I would supply my own modem and asked me personally to supply the MAC address and relevant information". Can't have it both ways, man. Time Warner can be blamed for many things, but expecting them to seamlessly suppor…
To top it off, this was a transfer, so it should not have been news that I brought the modem from my previous apartment, especially given that I selected the checkbox confirming this. While holding the modem he brought along to install, the technician informed me that I also had a modem attached to my account supplied by them three years ago, and asked where it was. I was not paying for a modem that was listed on my account for three years--I verified this. Laughable account auditing on their part (that should be automated), no loss for me, and neither party has any idea where that modem wandered off to.
The technician was pleasant and the installation only took a few minutes, so I count myself lucky. Overall, though, it was incredibly sloppy and didn't exactly inspire confidence.
Par for the course, I suppose, because three years ago they goofed up my work order by never completing the scheduling process, but confirming the time and date of the appointment with me. Then, after apologizing, they scheduled the new work order another two weeks out.
Of all the government created monopolies, the cable monopolies are some of the worst. If cable companies had to compete to keep business, they'd offer better service and treat their employees better. Southwest airlines is a good example of a company that has to keep costs low, but does this in part by treating their employees very well. Notice that they charge ever higher and higher fees, in part because the municipa…
You can always count on nirvana to come up with the maximal libertarian argument. What proof is there that this is a government created monopoly? What exactly is the "violence" that Austin would do to competitors? Do libertarians not believe in the concept of natural monopolies?
Thank you!
>What proof is there that this is a government created monopoly?
I'm sorry, but I thought everyone knew that in the USA, most municipalities created a monopoly right, which they sell to the highest bidder, to operate cable services within their borders. This comes up for renewal on some long term, but during that term, only the government ordained company can operate a cable service.
That's the definition of a monopoly.
>What exactly is the "violence" that Austin would do to competitors?
"Government is not reason, it is not eloquence, it is force. And like fire it can be a fearsome servant and a terrible master." -- George Washington
>Do libertarians not believe in the concept of natural monopolies?
Since most of the people who reject liberty misuse the word "monopoly" in my experience, I think you'll have to define it more precisely.
But in this case, there isn't any argument that these are natural monopolies-- like the post office, they are government created monopolies.
It is literally illegal to compete.
Earlier quoted context omitted.
If you haven't yet seen Blade Runner , I emphatically advise you to avoid the version with narration (theatrical release).
Why? I've actually avoided watching it simply because I can't decide which version to watch :)
Earlier quoted context omitted.
I'm pretty sure it's a useless question. You can use debit cards as credit cards and vice versa.
That's precisely the point, though. If you could only use debit cards as debit cards and credit cards as credit cards, they wouldn't need to ask which way I would prefer they run it.
My financial mentors have taught me that debit cards are a scam and that they're something you don't want to use unless you like getting hit with $30 fees to do $3 transactions. You don't want to use them to check into a hotel, buy gas or buy a rental car.
If you're using a credit card, there's no reason for them to ask that stupid question. If you're using a debit card it gives them a license to screw you two different ways.
I do use debit cards to (i) access my health savings account, and (ii) access my paypal balance, which gives me a pool of "mad money" that I can refresh by selling the things I buy with it.
Earlier quoted context omitted.
How many times are you willing to let a startup tear up your yard? Or are you referring to the proposals that government should force private companies to share the critical infrastructure they created at their own expense? I can't imagine that sitting very well with libertarians or people vehemently opposed to government monopolies. The only way last mile utilities are going to be fair is if government steps in (cor…
You're not familiar with the concept of easements, are you? Generally, the first meter or two of your property is designated as an easement, for the purposes of running utility lines, telephone lines, and yes, cable lines. So yes, most people have given others the right to tear up their yard. It's just that the city then re-grants the rights to one or two utilities as opposed to having a genuinely competitive bidding…
To one cable company, one electrical utility, one telephone company, and to the local government-run water and sewage monopolies. Not to fifty startups.
A situation with a "genuinely competitive bid process" is a government-granted monopoly granted based on better criteria, and would certainly benefit consumers. It's still not a free market, which is my point: nobody actually wants a completely free market for last-mile utilities.