The problem lies with Corporations pursuing the next quarter’s profits without effective Government regulations. It becomes a relentless race to the bottom. If you are a CEO of a massive Corporation you must pursue every opportunity to improve shareholder return by cutting costs / getting handouts or you will be…

We need to stop relying on other countries. I’m not advocating a Brexit situation. I’m just saying that if we need factories to build outdated computer chips, then we need to build factories that will make outdated computer chips. If automotive factories are going to have to furlough their workers because they can’t…

Markets are always manipulated. Pure supply and demand rules are the exception. The rule is manipulation and collusion and price fixing as often as it can be done, by hook or by crook.

What I’m thinking of is something like TSMC just opening a fab in Kansas or something.

But profits. Sure, I mean, it’s bad for the global economy and whatever, but what about next quarter? THAT IS ALL THAT MATTERS.

I’m starting to wonder if optimizing all of our supply chains around China is no longer as good of an idea as before. They’re autocratic and have complete control over industries, not to mention there’s the whole Taiwan thing which could be hugely problematic for multiple industries just based on what TSMC produces by…

It’s not the 1990s any more. Lending decisions are mostly made by algorithm. Not much these guys do that can’t be done with a web interface.

My local Walmart has some real shitty people shopping. I get the low prices but I would rather not see 50 confederate flags or catch covid by the maskless army in Walmart. Target is women in yoga pants that will yell at their kids soccer coach where Walmart is the people that hang out at 7-11 all day.

Sorry, but this “10 percent signing a bunch of forms with someone in finance who actually seemed to work for a living” is the exact opposite of every car-buying experience I’ve ever had. The sales people are invariably tolerable and have seemed like they actually had to hustle to interact with customers and the…

RE finance people: If by “work for a living”, you mean try to sell me a bunch of crap I don’t need or want.

My daughter has an example of a good salesman vs not needing one.

Invariably, the finance people can put insert foot into mouth. My favorite - “What are you, an accountant?” after I asked about the lease details. While I am a certified/chartered bean counter, I hold that if someone uses finance terminology, they should be free to have a discussion about it, else they are blowing hot…

Consumers can easily walk into a dealership armed with enough information to purchase the car they want...

I love a good car audio system, especially a factory one that I don’t have to screw with, but it seems like something that manufacturers put at the very bottom of their priority list.

Well, they’ve lost like $300M over 4 of the most profitable years the car business has ever seen.

I buy from carmax so I don’t have to deal with people. It is like shopping at Target vs Walmart for the same reason. Costs more but you get the luxury of not having to deal with the people. 

RE finance people: If by “work for a living”, you mean try to sell me a bunch of crap I don’t need or want. The actual loan approval process is just a matter of uploading the borrower’s info to the lender and then having them sign the standard forms the system spits out. Not much work at all if you aren’t trying to…

Hard to argue with you. This car is just too expensive. Perhaps people will pay a premium for the expectation of lower servicing cost and higher resale vs a VW.

Not entirely clear on what you are trying to say, sorry. What happened?

You have more hope than I do.