tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5806884.post5585565841390429205..comments2023-10-31T03:18:26.963-07:00Comments on Great Guys Weblog: Perhaps not the Whole StoryBrethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15063508651955739056noreply@blogger.comBlogger21125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5806884.post-89083132204868340172017-04-09T19:23:22.676-07:002017-04-09T19:23:22.676-07:00I haven't laughed so hard in a long time. Bud...I haven't laughed so hard in a long time. Budapest -- wouldn't have been my first guess! It's probably a very interesting and beautiful city. <br /><br />Skipper, I hope you are planning to write a book. A suggested title: It's my Story and I'll Stick to It!erphttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09826044412670324694noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5806884.post-62108951977947216002017-04-09T17:32:48.590-07:002017-04-09T17:32:48.590-07:00[erp:] Hope all GG's are enjoying the absolute...<i>[erp:] Hope all GG's are enjoying the absolutely perfect spring weather that we are...</i><br /><br />On account of [insert much pilot bafflegab here] I am spending the weekend in Budapest. The weather has only been quasi-spring worthy. This afternoon, a protest march wound its way past <a href="https://www.google.com/maps/place/Sofitel+Budapest+Chain+Bridge/@47.498226,19.048125,15z/data=!4m5!3m4!1s0x0:0xe13fa77e2ec2ca0d!8m2!3d47.498226!4d19.048125" rel="nofollow">my hotel</a>. <br /><br />I don't understand a lick of Hungarian, but apparently it had something to do with the <a href="http://www.reuters.com/article/us-hungary-soros-protest-idUSKBN17B0RM" rel="nofollow">Soros university</a> in Hungary. There must have been 50,000 people. <br /><br />All very quiet, well behaved, and didn't trash anything.<br /><br />First time I've ever seen something like this up close. Well, excepting the Occupy Insanity site in San Francisco. Which, like every one of its ilk, trashed everything within sight.Hey Skipperhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10798930502187234974noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5806884.post-46946614670249502642017-04-09T11:05:33.518-07:002017-04-09T11:05:33.518-07:00Thanks Skipper. It's not for us, we are full...Thanks Skipper. It's not for us, we are fully connected. We have an extra TV and Roku box, so I thought our handyman who can't afford to hook up anymore, might be able to rig something up. He's a genius with his hands and an artist, but totally innocent of all things IT.<br /><br />I tried Comrade Google, but he's such a pedant, can't give a simple answer, like you did -- thank you -- and insists on telling me how it works, multiple other options and links<br /><br />Hope all GG's are enjoying the absolutely perfect spring weather that we are, although it was 38F at 8am this morning outside out kitchen window. <br /><br />Flowers are just rioting.erphttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09826044412670324694noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5806884.post-9154654532176308892017-04-09T10:07:13.412-07:002017-04-09T10:07:13.412-07:00Will Roku work if one is neither cable nor wifi co...<i>Will Roku work if one is neither cable nor wifi connected? </i><br /><br />No.<br /><br /><i>If no, what's the free alternative if there is one?</i><br /><br />The only free alternative I now of (presuming no wifi or cable) is broadcast TV. <br /><br />You do have internet available at your house, right? Hey Skipperhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10798930502187234974noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5806884.post-26229747208346560762017-04-09T07:01:42.368-07:002017-04-09T07:01:42.368-07:00Off-Topic Tech Question -- my nerd is infirm.
...Off-Topic Tech Question -- my nerd is infirm. <br /><br />Simple answers please. ��<br /><br />Will Roku work if one is neither cable nor wifi connected? <br /><br />If no, what's the free alternative if there is one?<br /><br />Thank you. ��erphttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09826044412670324694noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5806884.post-38856950656403486452017-04-06T12:45:15.510-07:002017-04-06T12:45:15.510-07:00Hey Skipper wrote: "And the Hyperloop sucks.&...<i>Hey Skipper wrote: "And the Hyperloop sucks."<br /><br />[Bret:] Okay, whatever. I think the concept is pretty awesome.</i><br /><br />Clearly, you didn't see what I did there.Hey Skipperhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10798930502187234974noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5806884.post-62308429254493948322017-04-06T08:24:03.057-07:002017-04-06T08:24:03.057-07:00... unless they control the dice, ya mean.... unless they control the dice, ya mean.erphttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09826044412670324694noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5806884.post-38368693311804393572017-04-06T07:31:51.744-07:002017-04-06T07:31:51.744-07:00Harry wrote: "What my crap-shootin' buddi...Harry wrote: "<i>What my crap-shootin' buddies call betting on the come.</i>"<br /><br />If yer buddies used NPV analysis, they wudnt shoot craps. :-)Brethttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15063508651955739056noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5806884.post-39483571459670223032017-04-05T20:57:10.472-07:002017-04-05T20:57:10.472-07:00Skipper, just because you never studied the histor...Skipper, just because you never studied the history of the auto industry does not mean nobody has. You got burned badly at RtO with your silly skepticism. i cautioned you then about giving too many hostages to fortune.<br /><br />'Do you understand the concept of Net Present Value'<br /><br />What my crap-shootin' buddies call betting on the come. Harry Eagarhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15785581082018177620noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5806884.post-4360475190584508002017-04-05T17:44:26.489-07:002017-04-05T17:44:26.489-07:00Harry wrote: "Since Tesla is losing money eve...Harry wrote: "<i>Since Tesla is losing money even with subsidies, it hardly seems reasonable to suppose the subsidies have anything to do with the stock price.</i>"<br /><br />Harry, we're you really a business reporter? Do you understand the concept of Net Present Value and it's role in the value of a stock? Do you understand that if you reduce the revenue per car by thousands of dollars due to the subsidy it would dramatically change the Net Present Value (not to mention not allowing the company to survive the short term in order to benefit from future earnings flow)?Brethttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15063508651955739056noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5806884.post-57555607590003987532017-04-05T17:39:57.288-07:002017-04-05T17:39:57.288-07:00[Harry:] Since Tesla is losing money even with sub...<i>[Harry:] Since Tesla is losing money even with subsidies, it hardly seems reasonable to suppose the subsidies have anything to do with the stock price.</i><br /><br />Didn't read the article, did you?<br /><br /><i>Gee, I dunno. Ford, maybe? GM maybe? They got some mighty fine subsidies after World War II</i><br /><br />Claims without basis may be ignored without hesitation.Hey Skipperhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10798930502187234974noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5806884.post-1656047074612321482017-04-05T17:39:05.998-07:002017-04-05T17:39:05.998-07:00Hey Skipper wrote: "I wonder how many other c...Hey Skipper wrote: "<i>I wonder how many other car companies could have been successful had the government been giving them $10k...</i>"<br /><br />My point is exactly that nobody else figured out a business model and implemented it successfully where they could get said subsidy and make the whole enterprise work. To me that's very impressive.<br /><br />Hey Skipper wrote: "<i>...frantic for virtue signaling opportunities...</i>"<br /><br />My friends who drive Teslas aren't even vaguely into virtue signaling opportunities (they might be a little bit into wealth signaling opportunities, though). It really is a nice car. Probably some do it for virtue signaling but you can get a Leaf or a Prius and virtue signal equally for a whole lot less money.<br /><br />Hey Skipper wrote: "<i>And the Hyperloop sucks.</i>"<br /><br />Okay, whatever. I think the concept is pretty awesome.<br /><br />Hey Skipper wrote: "<i>...NYT's completely omitting any mention of substantial subsidies...</i>"<br /><br />Everybody knows Tesla gets subsidies so I'm not sure said mention would change the substance of the article too much. However, incompetence and agenda journalism are certainly possibilities.Brethttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15063508651955739056noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5806884.post-44571025974202137352017-04-05T17:24:02.585-07:002017-04-05T17:24:02.585-07:00Skipper, the ex-Ford employee, asks: I wonder how...Skipper, the ex-Ford employee, asks: I wonder how many other car companies could have been successful had the government been giving them $10k a piece,'<br /><br />Gee, I dunno. Ford, maybe? GM maybe? They got some mighty fine subsidies after World War IIHarry Eagarhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15785581082018177620noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5806884.post-29106334546047046242017-04-05T17:20:35.920-07:002017-04-05T17:20:35.920-07:00Financial markets are not sensible. There was a ti...Financial markets are not sensible. There was a time when the market value of Valujet was bigger than the market value of United Airlines.<br /><br />Since Tesla is losing money even with subsidies, it hardly seems reasonable to suppose the subsidies have anything to do with the stock price.Harry Eagarhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15785581082018177620noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5806884.post-16127388073409514222017-04-05T17:15:18.078-07:002017-04-05T17:15:18.078-07:00... or both.... or both.erphttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09826044412670324694noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5806884.post-76121098809610454052017-04-05T16:54:07.675-07:002017-04-05T16:54:07.675-07:00All that said, it seems the NYT's completely o...All that said, it seems the NYT's completely omitting any mention of substantial subsidies to Tesla was either journalistic incompetence, or another example of agenda journalism.Hey Skipperhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10798930502187234974noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5806884.post-12516395502014603832017-04-05T16:52:44.806-07:002017-04-05T16:52:44.806-07:00[Bret:] On the other hand, even I do admire Musk. ...<i>[Bret:] On the other hand, even I do admire Musk. Even with subsidies, starting a car company is no mean feat. Even with subsidies, starting an ELECTRIC car company is no mean feat. Starting a rocket company is no mean feat. Developing the base hyperloop concept is no mean feat. Even Paypal was pretty clever.</i><br /><br />Well, two out of four.<br /><br />I wonder how many other car companies could have been successful had the government been giving them $10k a piece, or capitalized on a bunch of rich people frantic for virtue signaling opportunities, driven by the same government having abandoned every bit of the scientific process to push AGW. <br /><br />The rocket company (I got a tour a few years ago) <i>is</i> impressive -- Space-X is delivering innovation and performance for much less than NASA.<br /><br />PayPal was a stroke of genius.<br /><br />And the Hyperloop sucks.Hey Skipperhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10798930502187234974noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5806884.post-81621045108498304652017-04-05T08:07:30.215-07:002017-04-05T08:07:30.215-07:00My soon-to-be-ex-wife lusts after Elon Musk. At le...My soon-to-be-ex-wife lusts after Elon Musk. At least in her mind, he's the pinnacle of success, utilizing every possible resource, public and private, to achieve nearly unimaginable (by me) levels of wealth and power.<br /><br />Personally, I have to laugh at free-market aficionados who point to Musk and his enterprises as success stories. Really? I'm mean sure, they're success stories, but definitely NOT free market, rather corporatism at its best (and I literally mean "best" in all possible ways).<br /><br />On the other hand, even I do admire Musk. Even with subsidies, starting a car company is no mean feat. Even with subsidies, starting an ELECTRIC car company is no mean feat. Starting a rocket company is no mean feat. Developing the base hyperloop concept is no mean feat. Even Paypal was pretty clever.<br /><br />And, in fact, if every, or even most, government subsidized endeavors was as successful as Musk's, I might be convinced that government ought to continue to be involved in such private-public partnerships. Alas, for every Tesla, there seem to be ten <a href="https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=1&cad=rja&uact=8&ved=0ahUKEwjp3rnMy43TAhXnjFQKHWcnBJAQFggaMAA&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.washingtonpost.com%2Fpolitics%2Fspecialreports%2Fsolyndra-scandal%2F&usg=AFQjCNHqTgn3u-1WVndSMHsjgMIvCWJ-vg&sig2=A6j9OLe65q0h1lEeSYvqng&bvm=bv.151426398,d.cGw" rel="nofollow">Solyndras</a>, so I remain unconvinced that the occasional government success in meddling is worth the loss of freedom.Brethttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15063508651955739056noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5806884.post-9059389113814468222017-04-05T05:54:29.917-07:002017-04-05T05:54:29.917-07:00... examples please.... examples please.erphttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09826044412670324694noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5806884.post-80899763306443437322017-04-04T20:33:29.446-07:002017-04-04T20:33:29.446-07:00I don't know Erp, but maybe the kind of people...I don't know Erp, but maybe the kind of people who falls for Trump scams is the very same people who will keep getting deceived by every other billionaire with good marketing skills.Clovishttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08921327103613284595noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5806884.post-46348211581830748502017-04-04T18:07:32.247-07:002017-04-04T18:07:32.247-07:00Nothing is what it seems to be when the government...Nothing is what it seems to be when the government gets into the act. If only Trump would do what he said he would and get the government off our backs.erphttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09826044412670324694noreply@blogger.com