(27-04-2025, 10:45 AM)Oh_hunnihunni Wrote: I fail to see why a trans soldier cannot operate a drone... They have the same fingers and brain as any straight.

(27-04-2025, 11:34 AM)Oh_hunnihunni Wrote: Because they are a good way for a few people to get very rich.

And we come full circle...

(27-04-2025, 04:00 PM)zqwerty Wrote: The biggest problem is when businessmen learn that the Government is injecting money into the economy to stimulate growth but instead of doing extra work to get the extra money they just put their prices up.

(28-04-2025, 11:36 AM)Lilith7 Wrote:

(27-04-2025, 04:00 PM)zqwerty Wrote: The biggest problem is when businessmen learn that the Government is injecting money into the economy to stimulate growth but instead of doing extra work to get the extra money they just put their prices up.

That "supply & demand' bollocks has always annoyed me....blatant greed, nothing more.

(28-04-2025, 12:19 PM)harm_less Wrote:

(28-04-2025, 11:36 AM)Lilith7 Wrote: That "supply & demand' bollocks has always annoyed me....blatant greed, nothing more.

Supply and demand is just a basic market function. If a demand exists for product A then a supplier will rise to satisfy that demand. If that demand increases then that supplier, or another, will make more available as they will see a market opportunity in doing so. The market will also dictate the price that they are prepared to pay for product A and the upper and lower limits of that price will be set as a result. If a comparable product B enters the market it competes by way of price, versatility and other advantages over product A. As a result demand for product A may reduce and its supplier can then reduce price or otherwise make product A more attractive to customers. That situation is how supply and demand set limits on products' marketability.

Other factors come into play such as price elasticity, product differentiation and technological advances but if you're unable to grasp supply and demand such mechanisms are likely to be even more confusing to you.

(28-04-2025, 04:01 PM)Lilith7 Wrote:

(28-04-2025, 12:19 PM)harm_less Wrote: Supply and demand is just a basic market function. If a demand exists for product A then a supplier will rise to satisfy that demand. If that demand increases then that supplier, or another, will make more available as they will see a market opportunity in doing so. The market will also dictate the price that they are prepared to pay for product A and the upper and lower limits of that price will be set as a result. If a comparable product B enters the market it competes by way of price, versatility and other advantages over product A. As a result demand for product A may reduce and its supplier can then reduce price or otherwise make product A more attractive to customers. That situation is how supply and demand set limits on products' marketability.

Other factors come into play such as price elasticity, product differentiation and technological advances but if you're unable to grasp supply and demand such mechanisms are likely to be even more confusing to you.

Raising the price when something is in short supply is greed, pure & simple.

(28-04-2025, 05:00 PM)harm_less Wrote:

(28-04-2025, 04:01 PM)Lilith7 Wrote: Raising the price when something is in short supply is greed, pure & simple.

That comment just proves you have no understanding of the basic functions of the market or the potential contributing factors that lead to supply shortages. Often such factors put upward pressure on prices, for example insufficient manufacturing capacity which results in a failure to reach the economies of scale that could otherwise reduce price. 

Also slow moving stock that needs to return the cost of the warehouse space that it has occupied while waiting for a buyer. That is often the reason car franchisees charge so much for replacement parts, or increasingly adopt a 'just in time' supply model which relies on express overnight deliver of goods from a centralised warehousing facility (or airfreighted importation) both of which also add expense to the item supplied.

(28-04-2025, 06:55 PM)Lilith7 Wrote:

(28-04-2025, 05:00 PM)harm_less Wrote: That comment just proves you have no understanding of the basic functions of the market or the potential contributing factors that lead to supply shortages. Often such factors put upward pressure on prices, for example insufficient manufacturing capacity which results in a failure to reach the economies of scale that could otherwise reduce price. 

Also slow moving stock that needs to return the cost of the warehouse space that it has occupied while waiting for a buyer. That is often the reason car franchisees charge so much for replacement parts, or increasingly adopt a 'just in time' supply model which relies on express overnight deliver of goods from a centralised warehousing facility (or airfreighted importation) both of which also add expense to the item supplied.

Shortages of basic items are not a good reason to increase prices. Doing so smacks of greed.

Someone selling overpriced bread  in times of shortage of ingredients to make bread is making their profit at the expense of others. 

Greed tends to happen often with what was sometimes called the 'black market'.

(28-04-2025, 07:25 PM)zqwerty Wrote: I spent a lot of my working life in factories and "just in time" results in poorer quality goods and if it's to the factory supply, inefficiencies within the factory and rushing to assemble for market which leads to poorer quality product for the customer, should be selling cheaper not more expensive.

Putting pressure on assembly and supply lines results in getting crap and is a result of poor management practices but management loves it because it makes them seem to be in charge.  Just another fad that has bad effects on product quality.

Management goes by paperwork not actual quality which is what experienced staff actually observe.

(28-04-2025, 07:31 PM)king1 Wrote:

(28-04-2025, 07:25 PM)zqwerty Wrote: I spent a lot of my working life in factories and "just in time" results in poorer quality goods and if it's to the factory supply, inefficiencies within the factory and rushing to assemble for market which leads to poorer quality product for the customer, should be selling cheaper not more expensive.

Putting pressure on assembly and supply lines results in getting crap and is a result of poor management practices but management loves it because it makes them seem to be in charge.  Just another fad that has bad effects on product quality.

Management goes by paperwork not actual quality which is what experienced staff actually observe.

JIT has been in use in many industries for decades, car manufacturers for instance... It's primary benefit is reduction in stock holding and associated costs...

(28-04-2025, 06:55 PM)Lilith7 Wrote:

(28-04-2025, 05:00 PM)harm_less Wrote: That comment just proves you have no understanding of the basic functions of the market or the potential contributing factors that lead to supply shortages. Often such factors put upward pressure on prices, for example insufficient manufacturing capacity which results in a failure to reach the economies of scale that could otherwise reduce price. 

Also slow moving stock that needs to return the cost of the warehouse space that it has occupied while waiting for a buyer. That is often the reason car franchisees charge so much for replacement parts, or increasingly adopt a 'just in time' supply model which relies on express overnight deliver of goods from a centralised warehousing facility (or airfreighted importation) both of which also add expense to the item supplied.

Shortages of basic items are not a good reason to increase prices. Doing so smacks of greed.

Someone selling overpriced bread  in times of shortage of ingredients to make bread is making their profit at the expense of others. 

Greed tends to happen often with what was sometimes called the 'black market'.

(28-04-2025, 07:43 PM)zqwerty Wrote: Here's a good real world example of landlords exploiting the system and raising prices when the government injects money into the system, what's required is regulation and punishment for transgressions.

https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/on-the-inside/558957/the-billions-spent-on-nz-s-accommodation-supplement-is-failing-to-make-rent-affordable-so-what-will

(28-04-2025, 07:28 PM)king1 Wrote:

(28-04-2025, 06:55 PM)Lilith7 Wrote: Shortages of basic items are not a good reason to increase prices. Doing so smacks of greed.

Someone selling overpriced bread  in times of shortage of ingredients to make bread is making their profit at the expense of others. 

Greed tends to happen often with what was sometimes called the 'black market'.

it's not nice I know but ultimately this comes down to the question "why would I sell my short supply and in demand XYZ widget to someone for this amount, when I can sell it to someone else for twice the price"  - as long as there is someone willing to pay twice the price price, the higher price it shall be. 

And then, there is the whole responsibility to the shareholders aspect - management couldn't sell for a lesser amount because that responsibility requires that they maximise profits for the shareholders...

I cringe when I think of how much a paid for a box of disposable gloves in the height of the covid pandemic, compared to now...

(28-04-2025, 09:40 PM)harm_less Wrote:

(28-04-2025, 07:31 PM)king1 Wrote: JIT has been in use in many industries for decades, car manufacturers for instance... It's primary benefit is reduction in stock holding and associated costs...

JIT inventory is essentially the model used for our major supermarkets. The stock held in a supermarket is typically 3 days worth of sales. The system works well to keep storage and handling cost mitigated but falls down if there is a break in the usual supply chain such as in the case of natural disasters or other civil disruption. Those that use the supermarket as their pantry by shopping every day or two put themselves at risk of exhausting their grocery supplies as they have delegate resilience of supply out of their immediate control.

One of the major dangers faced by city dwellers in contrast to those living closer to production systems (rural areas) is that fragility of supply of consumable items and especially food is far greater. The most recent demonstration of this was during the COVID epidemic and lockdowns.

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(28-04-2025, 06:55 PM)Lilith7 Wrote: Shortages of basic items are not a good reason to increase prices. Doing so smacks of greed.

Someone selling overpriced bread  in times of shortage of ingredients to make bread is making their profit at the expense of others. 

Greed tends to happen often with what was sometimes called the 'black market'.

Indicative of greed, or a baked in survival mechanism? Back in primitive times the last remnants of the most recent mastodon kill would have been a prized asset and flippantly allowing the neighbouring cave dwellers to consume it would result in hunger or worse so its worth increases until a successful hunt could replace it. But if your neighbour had a pot of honey they'd squirreled away you might be tempted to trade some meat for it, especially as the meat was at risk of spoiling. Supply and demand in its most basic form.

(29-04-2025, 07:37 AM)Oh_hunnihunni Wrote:

(28-04-2025, 07:43 PM)zqwerty Wrote: Here's a good real world example of landlords exploiting the system and raising prices when the government injects money into the system, what's required is regulation and punishment for transgressions.

https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/on-the-inside/558957/the-billions-spent-on-nz-s-accommodation-supplement-is-failing-to-make-rent-affordable-so-what-will

Interesting sideline - this government has capped and stopped funding for social housing subsidies. How that has affected our pensioner flats, run by a pp.partnership between Selwyn Trust and Ak Council, is for Haumaru to decide to rent to people who don't come from the social housing register at higher rents than existing tenants. They are now refurbing older units ( like mine) with that future in mind, in an ongoing three year process. So, the next tenant to move into our latest refurbed flat will pay more than anyone else, for a similar but updated space, under the same rules, but may well have more assets, better savings, better lifestyle. And Haumaru will collect more rent from them. But, consider the social costs. Someone with a higher level of need misses out. The chance of social friction increases. Homelessness doesn't actually fall, and a private landlord loses a tenant. While it might put downward pressure on rents it is on such a small and specific scale it probably won't impact...

The world is changing. Everywhere, not just here. My question though is given a change of government, will these changes be reversed?

Probably not, I suspect.