More nonpoker posts from me. Man, when's the last time I posted anything poker. It's weird. I play every night still to at least hit the 200pts, I win some, lose some but nothing really comes up that seems worth talking about. Maybe it's because I've exhausted talking about how to play AK preflop and polarizing 3 bet ranges or maybe it's because anything I want to post about would just be another bad beat story...
Well, anyways...
The other day, my friends and I were having another discussion, somewhat related to politics but more in terms of general governance rather than Barrack vs Maverick. It's a debate that was pretty intense but hilarious as our group has a pretty liberal democrat and a somewhat conservative republican in the group. And obviously, I think we agree on most issues but we would pick on the few issues where we disagree and just pick that topic to death and then some and laugh about it later over several beers...
Anyways, at one point, there was a discussion that came up about Exxon (I think) making record profits in Q3. In a time like this when people were losing jobs, etc, some of my very liberal friends thought that it was wrong for companies to be posting record profits... that they should be lowering the price so that it is more affordable to the consumers.
Now to me, that was the most ridiculously stupid comment I've ever heard. And I love my friends and the ones who mentioned it but my god, are you stupid? Hmmm.... let's see... we sell a product that people will buy regardless of the price... wait, they'll still pay for it even if they don't have a job? Ok, sweet!!! How much can we charge them for it? That much???? Wow. Let's do it!!!
I mean it's the same concept I talked about before with the athletes making ridiculous amounts of money. If you hate that, stop watching them. Same concept. If you hate that the gas companies are making money, don't buy gas... of course, you can't get around this country without it so then I suggest you switch to something that consumes less of it. One of the guys who argued this point drives a SUV. Um... ok. Dump that Jeep and buy a Prius. If you are so concerned about the people without jobs or what not, tell your employer that you don't need a raise but to give it to Bob in accounting because he's got two kids and his wife just got laid off from Circuit City. I don't know, whatever. But I hate that they preach like there's something immoral about people making money off of others. The way I see it, if I have to step on top of a dead body to get ahead, that's what I do. I'm competitive, what can I say. Your loss is my gain. Am I an ass or am I a fierce competitor?
And don't get me started on people without a job and how we need to help them. Come back to me when there are zero jobs out there. My friend also mentioned that several people from his dept were cut. Tough shit. They're not the only ones who lost the job. I feel bad, I truly do, but it ain't my obligation to help them out. Plus, if they are concerned about the mortgage and stuff, they should go find another job. Sure, it might not have the benefits of the old job they had and maybe it doesn't pay as well. But it's a job. It's income. There are plenty of people who are choosing to be unemployed out there. I won't throw anyone under the bus but if you are one of them, you know who you are. Sure, you're looking. FOR A JOB THAT IS AT LEAST THE SAME AS THE ONE YOU HAD BEFORE OR BETTER!!!!! If you're truly desperate, you can find a job. You can be a waiter/waitress, flip burgers at McDs, or whatever. Sure, it's not what you went to school for but it's better than sitting on your ass all day not earning a paycheck isn't it? Or is it? And that's my point. I have no problem with everyone making their personal choice to draw welfare checks or to go and do something about it. But I don't want ANY of my money to go towards those that are complaining about their bad beats in life cuz they just got laid off.
Give me a fuckin break.
Wow, was I cranky this morning or what?
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5 comments:
Someone needs to get laid and give a person a job in the "service sector" of the economy.
The only problem with record-breaking profits in this economic climate is that the profits are occuring due to unconscionable business practices. When oil prices plummetted recently, gas prices dropped...but not proportionally. Instead, gas prices were articifically inflated. It's called price gouging and potentially price fixing, both of which should not be allowed in our free market. If the oil companies and gas companies were really competing instead of gouging their customers through escalated prices of a necessity, then I'm all for record profits. When those record profits are made by strong arming the American public, the government needs to step in. Sirius and XM took over a year of debate before merging, but oil/gas companies merge with little debate in our fine nation.
It really hits home when one of your co-workers gets laid off (like one of mine just did).
But you know what they say....
Boom....Outta here.
To answer your question regarding whether you are "an ass or a fierce competitor" . . . well, because those are the only two options, you are .... not a fierce competitor. I guess that leaves just one answer.
You should probably try and objectively re-evaluate your position on the Exxon issue.
In a somewhat related story, I took about $450.00 from a couple tourists at the Hard Rock in 1/2 NL. They were very bad, but I think they were biker types...so i'm convinced that I probably wasn't taking their gas money.
-PouringReign
highonpoker -
You're telling me that the market for GAS isn't a competitive one? Every highway exit has a gas station or two on it. There are 4 gas stations that I know of within a mile of my house. I think pretty much everyone has plenty of choice between gas stations. You're telling me they're all colluding together to keep the price at the pump higher? Sorry, don't buy it.
bruechips
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