Unpopular Opinions - OP Updated with Threadban List 4/5/21

EddieN75

[Deleted User] wrote: »

Probably one of those people who's obsessed with American politics, but pays zero attention to local affairs.

Local affairs are dull as dish water. People keep voting for the same thing over and over but also keep complaining over and over.

Not for me.

EddieN75

EddieN75 wrote: »

People keep voting for the same thing over and over

American Politics 101: There is no real choice.

EddieN75

[Deleted User] wrote: »

American Politics 101: There is no real choice.

As opposed to Irish politics where its a real mystery bag of direction every time.

Check out my account there the number of times iv commented on American politics threads. Il give you a hint : it's a number less than 1

EddieN75

EddieN75 wrote: »

As opposed to Irish politics where its a real mystery bag of direction every time.

Check out my account there the number of times iv commented on American politics threads. Il give you a hint : it's a number less than 1

And yet I spotted your preferences regardless.

You're not the first version of you I've encountered. It's easy to spot now.

Antares35

Potential-Monke wrote: »

Private medical insurance should not have a mandatory charge for pregnancy and maternity cover. As a man, I will never need it, and it annoys me no length it's there so that other people can afford it. Meanwhile it costs me extra to have decent mental health cover, something I would most definitely use.

Agree, and I actually don't know why people go private on maternity anyway, unless they are complex pregnancies. The public maternity system in Ireland is fantastic, and I never feel bad using it because I figure it's the only real benefit I get from the government raping my salary every month

paw patrol

EddieN75 wrote: »

I was watching Collateral on Netflix ( it's ****e,don't bother) and there was a scene in a jazz club. Complete random sounds thrown together. Very irritating. I turned the volume down and made a cup of tea instead.

i don't know about your jazz commentary

but collateral was a pretty good film
I found it naff that the woman he fancied (I hate those emotional coincidental tie-ins) was on the list but well made otherwise.

JimmyVik

Every every couple of years after the age of about 45 brings a new pain somewhere that just stays forever.
Before that you think doctors can give you drugs to cure all these things.
Then you find out after going to doctors and consultants that that pain in the knee is there forever and you will just have to get used to it.
So you deal with it. Then a few years later it happens again, this time in the shoulder. Now you have 2 to deal with that are there forever.
Then you speak to people in their 60s hoping they say it gets easier as you get older and they just smile and say - welcome to the club

cruizer101

The proposed legislation on banning ticket touting should not be brought in.

The issue is ticket agents sell tickets far below their market value, the reason for this is concert tickets unlike many other products have a limited supply and even with very high demand supply can’t be increased as it can with other products.
So with high demand and low supply the market value is high. Agents then basically hold a lottery which you enter by getting into the online queue for tickets, if you are lucky you get to buy a high value item at a discount.
If agents sold tickets at their market value there would be no issue, how do they know the market value, sell them by auction.
“Ohh but what about the kids/fans who can’t afford to spend a few hundred on tickets it will only be the rich who can afford to go to concerts”
Thats life, why do we view concerts as any different to any other product, plenty of experiences are only available to the rich.
Governments should not interfere in the market for what is a purely discretionary purchase

I've never seen anyone ever defend ticket touts. Congratulations at elevating this thread to a whole other level.

Brian?

Your Face wrote: »

Leftist policies have really done a job on the working person.

Which policies? Sick pay? Minimum wage? Paid holidays? Protection against unfair dismissal? Maternity leave? Working time directive? Government subsidised education?

A bit of specificity there hoss.

Eric Cartman

cruizer101 wrote: »

The proposed legislation on banning ticket touting should not be brought in.

The issue is ticket agents sell tickets far below their market value, the reason for this is concert tickets unlike many other products have a limited supply and even with very high demand supply can’t be increased as it can with other products.
So with high demand and low supply the market value is high. Agents then basically hold a lottery which you enter by getting into the online queue for tickets, if you are lucky you get to buy a high value item at a discount.
If agents sold tickets at their market value there would be no issue, how do they know the market value, sell them by auction.
“Ohh but what about the kids/fans who can’t afford to spend a few hundred on tickets it will only be the rich who can afford to go to concerts”
Thats life, why do we view concerts as any different to any other product, plenty of experiences are only available to the rich.
Governments should not interfere in the market for what is a purely discretionary purchase

Thats it, any other business in the world, you buy something and sell at a profit - perfectly fine , thats business. However with tickets - no , bad .... for some reason

Eric Cartman

Eric Cartman wrote: »

Thats it, any other business in the world, you buy something and sell at a profit - perfectly fine , thats business. However with tickets - no , bad .... for some reason

It's because they use software to get all the tickets snatched up in the first minute. It's like a gang going in at 7am and buying all the milk in the only shop in a small village and then camping outside it selling them for a profit.

These guys aren't in business. They aren't creating value. They're inserting themselves unfairly as middlemen when they should have no part of it.

Brian?

[Deleted User] wrote: »

It's because they use software to get all the tickets snatched up in the first minute. It's like a gang going in at 7am and buying all the milk in the only shop in a small village and then camping outside it selling them for a profit.

These guys aren't in business. They aren't creating value. They're inserting themselves unfairly as middlemen when they should have no part of it.

Then people shouldn’t buy tickets from them. Since when is capitalism fair?

If it was up to me the international capitalist system would be torn down. But why are tickets the place to start?

I’m in favour of the law. I just want to understand when people generally in favour of capitalism are also in favour of it.

Fr Tod Umptious

EddieN75 wrote: »

Jazz music in clubs is just random noises and is highly irritating

km991148

Good reminder of an unpopular opinion. The Simpsons is sh!te (and always has been).

km991148

km991148 wrote: »

Good reminder of an unpopular opinion. The Simpsons is sh!te (and always has been).

Get out. Good unpopular opinion though.

Brian?

Brian? wrote: »

Then people shouldn’t buy tickets from them. Since when is capitalism fair?

If it was up to me the international capitalist system would be torn down. But why are tickets the place to start?

I’m in favour of the law. I just want to understand when people generally in favour of capitalism are also in favour of it.

It isn't capitalism. They haven't set up a business, spotted a gap in the market, profited from it, and paid tax on those profits.

They are the equivalent of setting up a road block on the way to a mart, buying all the cows, and then going to the mart and saying "This is capitalism folks. The price is up 200%."

Analogies are needed to explain how absurd it is to believe they have a legitimate business.

magicbastarder

the problem with gigs, is that you can't set up a competing product. i.e. if you want to go see status quo, no one else can tempt you away with their cheaper product. so it's a de facto monopoly. and can/will be abused in the way monopolies are.

cruizer101

Deleted User wrote: »

I've never seen anyone ever defend ticket touts. Congratulations at elevating this thread to a whole other level.

I'm not defending them, I don't agree with what they are doing.

However I don't think it is an issue that requires government legislation.
If the tickets were sold at their market value by the agents then ticket touting would not be an issue.
The problem is agents sell them at a huge discount to their market value.

If anyone sells a product at well below market value people will try and make a profit from it.

I don't think the government should legislate against the free market.

[Deleted User]

[Deleted User] wrote: »

It isn't capitalism. They haven't set up a business, spotted a gap in the market, profited from it, and paid tax on those profits.

Except for the tax they have done exactly that.

They are the equivalent of setting up a road block on the way to a mart, buying all the cows, and then going to the mart and saying "This is capitalism folks. The price is up 200%."

That’s a forced monopoly. If the touts get their tickets legally they aren’t a monopoly. If theres a software issue that allows people to get too many tickets then fix that. And it’s not the touts causing that (in your analogy they didn’t cause the road block).

Also your economics is suspect. Why a 200% increase if there’s the same number of cows. Touts don’t monopolise all tickets they buy a few and sell them at the margin. They can lose money as well.

Analogies are needed to explain how absurd it is to believe they have a legitimate business.

Well yeh, but extremely flawed analogies.

I am not arguing a pro capitalist position here either, but touting is essentially buying low and selling high due to a presumed shortage. There’s a lot of capitalism to fix before this.

FileNotFound

cruizer101 wrote: »

I'm not defending them, I don't agree with what they are doing.

However I don't think it is an issue that requires government legislation.
If the tickets were sold at their market value by the agents then ticket touting would not be an issue.
The problem is agents sell them at a huge discount to their market value.

If anyone sells a product at well below market value people will try and make a profit from it.

I don't think the government should legislate against the free market.

So just because someone may pay more means the tickets should be a higher price to start with?


Touts are gone from something somewhat useful to bottom feeders and are more gang planning than a chap making a few quid handy.

The idea that some lazy rot bag with a handy computer program running can put people in a position that you either over pay or do not see a band or game you like is wrong. Especially when they can buy 40 tickets a go.


Its a easy legislative win, reselling cannot exceed original sale price. Done...

Faster they get it in the better, just hope they put a decent report system in place to catch out the remaining chancers. Will at least force adverts/ticket drop/etc. to ban anyone trying to bump a resale price.

ohnonotgmail

fvp4 wrote: »

Except for the tax they have done exactly that.



That’s a forced monopoly. If the touts get their tickets legally they aren’t a monopoly. If theres a software issue that allows people to get too many tickets then fix that. And it’s not the touts causing that (in your analogy they didn’t cause the road block).

Also your economics is suspect. Why a 200% increase if there’s the same number of cows. And touts don’t monopolise all tickets they buy a few and sell them at the margin. They can lose money as well.



Well yeh, but extremely flawed analogies.

I am not arguing a pro capitalist position here either, but touting is essentially buying low and selling high due to a presumed shortage. There’s a lot of capitalism to fix before this.

this isn't touting. this is abusing a monopoly position. the companies that are buying the tickets in bulk and reselling them are linked to the ticket companies. they have privileged access to buy tickets in bulk that the general public does not.

fvp4

fvp4 wrote: »

Except for the tax they have done exactly that.

So they're breaking the law. And no, they have not discovered some gap in the market. They are abusing a flaw in the market. They are providing no value, unless you think that hoarding all consumer tickets in the first moments of a sale is a gap.

If they had really spotted a gap, they'd be a competitor to ticketmaster.

fvp4 wrote: »

That’s a forced monopoly. If the touts get their tickets legally they aren’t a monopoly. If theres a software issue that allows people to get too many tickets then fix that. And it’s not the touts causing that (in your analogy they didn’t cause the road block).

Of course they set up the road block. And it's not only software. They hire people in third world countries for next to nothing to go on and buy tickets. If you think that belongs in any valid marketplace, I don't know what to say.

fvp4 wrote: »

Also your economics is suspect. Why a 200% increase if there’s the same number of cows.

This makes zero sense. They increase the prices even though there are the same number of tickets. Are you implying they don't?

fvp4 wrote: »

And touts don’t monopolise all tickets they buy a few and sell them at the margin. They can lose money as well.

They monopolise enough for people to have noticed and for countries to be talking about legislation.

fvp4 wrote: »

Well yeh, but extremely flawed analogies.

Not at all. They are stopping a good reaching the end consumer and slotting themselves into the middle of the transaction. If you can't see the validity of the milk or mart analogies, you're the one who doesn't understand markets.


Defending their tactics has as much credibility as the state selling Covid-19 vaccines to the highest bidder. They didn't make the vaccine, they are just the middlemen, so why not let market forces decide where vaccines should end up. Same amount of vaccines, so it's all good.

ohnonotgmail

ohnonotgmail wrote: »

this isn't touting. this is abusing a monopoly position. the companies that are buying the tickets in bulk and reselling them are linked to the ticket companies. they have privileged access to buy tickets in bulk that the general public does not.

The companies linked to the original ticket companies should be banned yes. The guy on the streets, no. Purchases should be limited though.

These guys can make a loss. I was heading to landsdowne road dart station when a guy offered me a ticket to Ireland V Georgia at half price. But you’d have to pay me to watch it so I declined.

Antares35

[Deleted User] wrote: »

Except for the tax they have done exactly that.



That’s a forced monopoly. If the touts get their tickets legally they aren’t a monopoly. If theres a software issue that allows people to get too many tickets then fix that. And it’s not the touts causing that (in your analogy they didn’t cause the road block).

Also your economics is suspect. Why a 200% increase if there’s the same number of cows. Touts don’t monopolise all tickets they buy a few and sell them at the margin. They can lose money as well.



Well yeh, but extremely flawed analogies.

I am not arguing a pro capitalist position here either, but touting is essentially buying low and selling high due to a presumed shortage. There’s a lot of capitalism to fix before this.

It isn't a gap in the market - people could still buy tickets directly and attend the gig, without touts. It isn't something that people want or need.

joseywhales

"Zhao, who is Chinese, became only the second woman, and the first woman of color, to win the award for best director"

That is from the new york times. My question is wtf is this term "woman of color" and why is it relevant? She is chinese, her melanin content is about that of a spaniard.

By the way, looking forward to her movie, I am a van owner myself and do a lot of nomad camping in the summers.

[Deleted User]

[Deleted User] wrote: »

Of course they set up the road block. And it's not only software. They hire people in third world countries for next to nothing to go on and buy tickets. If you think that belongs in any valid marketplace, I don't know what to say.

it’s buying low and selling high. Wait til you hear what they do in the stock market. Or the bond market. What they aren’t are monoplists - in your “analogy” the cows were all bought by people who forced a road block. Where do touts buy all the tickets and where is the road block?

This makes zero sense. They increase the prices even though there are the same number of tickets. Are you implying they don't?

Well I was talking about your cows. For music tickets the price that someone pays is the market price even if it is higher or lower than the face value. It’s not touts that force up prices but market demands.

They monopolise enough for people to have noticed and for countries to be talking about legislation.

Populist nonsense. Why disallow reselling a scrap of paper which is a music ticket at higher than the face value if not also stocks, shares, bonds, housing etc.

Not at all. They are stopping a good reaching the end consumer and slotting themselves into the middle of the transaction. If you can't see the validity of the milk or mart analogies, you're the one who doesn't understand markets.


Defending their tactics has as much credibility as the state selling Covid-19 vaccines to the highest bidder. They didn't make the vaccine, they are just the middlemen, so why not let market forces decide where vaccines should end up. Same amount of vaccines, so it's all good.

I’m not defending the supposed free market - I’m asking why this is the “monopolist” free market thing people notice. I think it’s precisely because it’s a guy on the street doing the selling here and making the profit rather than the man in the top hat on the hidden labyrinth of power.

It isn't a guy on the street that's causing the problem. You've genuinely got no clue what you're on about. This romantic memory from yonder year is very different to the gangs who now run it.

FileNotFound

fvp4 wrote: »

it’s buying low and selling high. Wait til you hear what they do in the stock market. Or the bond market. What they aren’t are monoplists - in your “analogy” the cows were all bought by people who forced a road block. Where do touts buy all the tickets and where is the road block?

Well I was talking about your cows. For music tickets the price that someone pays is the market price even if it is higher or lower than the face value. It’s not touts that force up prices but market demands.

Populist nonsense. Why disallow reselling a scrap of paper which is a music ticket at higher than the face value if not also stocks, shares, bonds, housing etc.

I’m not defending the supposed free market - I’m asking why this is the “monopolist” free market thing people notice. I think it’s precisely because it’s a guy on the street doing the selling here and making the profit rather than the man in the top hat on the hidden labyrinth of power.

I guess you found the right thread, I'd say you'll be lucky to find a dozen tout lovers on the site here (the dozen most likely being touts).

I look forward to the legislation and hope the laws they make are actually enforcible.

Touts have no purpose anymore than to rip people off best they can. Social media has made them redundant, hell adverts has made them redundant.

They are a piece of the past that can stay there once we reopen.

[Deleted User]

[Deleted User] wrote: »

It isn't a guy on the street that's causing the problem. You've genuinely got no clue what you're on about. This romantic memory from yonder year is very different to the gangs who now run it.

Ok. Maybe I’m under estimating the gang issue. Not that you’ve proven anything about that.

I’m fine with getting rid of the online resellers particularly the ones owned by ticketmaster.

However the guy in the street does in fact provide a service. People do travel without tickets to games or events in the hope of buying a ticket there.