Of skimmed milk and skimming the milk

Monday, 28 January, Year 5 d.Tr. | Author: Mircea Popescu

Her

Louisiana stops sale of cheap milk at market
Holy cow!

A Louisiana supermarket was forced to yank its low-cost milk special after state auditors objected to the price.

Fresh Markets in Perkins Rowe was selling milk for $2.99 a gallon as part of a weekly promotion deal, but Louisiana requires that retailer markups be at least 6 percent above invoice and shipping costs, The Advocate reports.

Me Anti dumping measure.

Her Yeah but seriously how much markup they have to have? Price controls ...
Me 6% it says. What, that's unreasonable ?

Her Well what ever happened to free markets?
Me Hon, you understand what dumping is ?

Her Yes of course, but seriously why does the gov need to get in your business if you want to have a sale? Once upon a time there were gas wars, it was great fun, every station along the road each trying to charge a penny less per gallon ..
Me Well the theory behind it is this : without dumping, economy is a competition on operational costs. Whoever can make the product cheaper wins the market. With dumping, economy moves from an operational competition to a financial competition : whoever has the largest bank account or the best credit can sell his product for 0 for longer, thus driving everyone out of business, thus acquiring a monopoly, thus then being able to sell the item for infinity. It can be said, and I happen to think that the point of economy is to close the zero-infinity price window on everything as soon as possible. In this perspective, dumping is an antieconomic activity.

Her Yeah well monopolies are illegal, this is trying to hit it from both ends which is stupid.
Me Since it is the job of the state to maintain the standards of the marketplace (not participate in buying and selling, but keeping the standard of what 1 kg is, for instance), then the state has to intervene against dumping. Otherwise the marketplace quickly devolves into Joe paying an envelope into which he might have put some dollars for a sack in which Bill may have put some potatoes. This isn't a free market by any standard, as it's not in fact a market at all.

Her Well a special on milk once a week, with a limit don't sound like dumping.
Me Why not ?

Her What's it gonna do, run the dairy farmers outta business? Close down every other supermarket?
Me Yes.

Her And who decided I have to make 6% on all my milk sales? What if I only want 5%. There just needs some better sense on this sort of stuff.
Me Listen : people can readily limit their milk buying to once a week. If you're allowed to dump once a week that's all you need. Everyone gets into the habit of driving to your store once a week, they make their week around it. Soon enough nobody else can sell any milk. You don't need to actively gain 100% of the market. If you just drop everyone else's volumes enough they will have to discontinue 'cause they can't cover fixed costs anymore, and there you have it. This is the economic equivalent of what's called splitting the vote in politics.

Her Mebbe but it sure sounds like a big step on the road to price controls to me.
Me Why ? It's a % not an absolute. You have to charge at least 106% of what your invoices say.

Her Hmm ok, but there is something wrong with the picture. I'll figure it out :P
Me Hehe. I think I'ma publish this, give everyone a chance.

So here's your chance.

Category: Actiuni si Optiuni
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27 Responses

  1. On a related note, can you evaluate whether or not Adevarul used dumping prices for the books they sold? Gotiu claims so:

    http://clujeanul.gandul.info/editoriale/super-oferta-de-la-adevarul-100-de-carti-pentru-moartea-editurilor-romanesti-4135309

  2. Mircea Popescu`s avatar
    2
    Mircea Popescu 
    Monday, 28 January 2013

    Apai parerea mea e ca Gotiu se erijeaza in reprezentantu' cicatilor care au impresia ca "ei face cultura" in Romania. Nu exista asa ceva, nu exista nici autor roman (de roman, de eseu, de orice) nici literatura romana, nici cultura romana contemporana. Cei citiva basinei care se bat reciproc pe umeri ca "is" si "fac"... ma rog, cam cum m-ar acuza pe mine zoso si arhi ca "fac dumping" la interneti. Daca prin absurd ar exista o trupa romaneasca de muzica si-ar face aia concerte gratis probabil ca Iris sau Ada Milea sau care s-ar trezi vorbind prin ceva circiumioara ca "li s-o facut dumping" si "de aia" nu exista ei. Scuze la rigoare se gasesc, mai ales de catre astia.

    Comercial vorbind am indoieli ca vinde Adevarul sub pretul de cost. O carte tiparita in conditii economice (deci pe prese web, nu cacaturi POD) costa cam doi lei, hai trei cu coperti mai calumea asa. Ce dumping atunci ?

    Sigur ca nu publica jegurile astora, ci publica carti bune, si sigur ca publica chestii iesite din copyright. Unei populatii de negri/latinoamericani/tungusi/ce mai is romanii n-ai cum si n-ai de ce sa le vinzi literatura contemporana, din motivu' cultural ca ei nu se gasesc mental acolo, ci au inca a digera evul mediu tirziu/modernitatea timpurie, si din motivu' economic ca nu-si permite, dom'le. Televiziunea n-o rulat Dallas si Days of our lives in anii 90 ? Pai tot asa ruleaza si astia Swift si ce pleazna, chestiile care trebuiau citite de mult, in loc de Scinteia.

    Ce-ai dori sa publice, practic vorbind ? Operele lui Eugen Simion ? Hortensia Papadat Bengescu ? Laissez. O suta de ani de vorbit limbi straine si pe urma revenim la Sion, limba noastra-i o comoara, taranu' roman, alea-alea. Are si istoria cursu' ei.

  3. 7-8 RON

    Acesta e preţul minim, pe bucată, pe care l-au oferit surse de pe piaţa tipografică consultate de clujeanul.ro, pentru cărţi precum cele tipărite de Adevărul, la un tiraj de 100.000 de exemplare. Acesta ar fi, însă, doar costul de tipar.

    Nu mi-e clar care-i mai bine informat, tu sau clujeanul.

    Altminteri, am citit traducerile Adevarul, unele is de-a dreptul execrabile (de ex. am gasit dezacorduri banale in Tess d'Urberville). Ma indoiesc sa fi avut mari costuri cu traducatorii. Totusi, pe de alta parte, au librariile proprii care si ele is niste costuri fixe, etc

  4. Mircea Popescu`s avatar
    4
    Mircea Popescu 
    Monday, 28 January 2013

    Mei, ei vorbesc povesti. Nu se pune problema sa tiparesti in ceva tipografie de cacat prin Romania via ceva editura de cacat de prin Romania. Uite ca nimereala tocma discutam cu unu' care chiar ii tipograf (in SU), asa ca : 10`000 bucati x 368 pagini 5x8 toli + hirtie 45# alt offset + legatorie perfect (paperback) + coperta 4 culori gloss layflat (4004) 10pt C1s = 13,656.87 dolari, ferma. Deci asta ar veni ceva sub 7-8 RON, la ceva sub 100`000 de exemplare. Si daca ma pun pe negociat cu ei si chiar comand 100`000 de exemplare mai tai un minim 15% de-acolo, si daca negociez din pozitia ca is megatrustu' si principalu' lor client tai chiar si mai bine.

    Adevarul is trust, au tipografii, au fabrica de hirtie, au companie de transport, se pisa pe prostiile astora cu 7-8 lei exemplaru'. Alea is preturi de POD, le-o cacat diversi nasu' si ei sarmanii nu se stiu prinde dupa miros, ca nu-s in meseria lor, is si ei aterizati din piar un' s-o nimerit loc.

    Librariile proprii pot sa fie ce costuri doresc ele, ca nu te obliga nimeni sa-ti facturezi a) costu' librariei in pretu' cartii si respectiv b) libraria ta in cartea ta. Acolo la articol zice clar 6% peste pretu' facturat, nu zice 6% peste ce isi inchipuie concurenta ca ar putea sa coste magazinu' tau daca l-ar face ei sau ceva aiureli de-astea.

    Baietii au fix problema discutata hapt dincoace. Intre timp s-or fi promovat niste oameni ai strazii de-aia in pozitia de manageri de editura dupa criteriu' ca nimeni altcinenva n-o acceptat salaru' lor ala "competitiv". Si deci...

  5. Acum tii cu statul? Vai Mircea, acest amalgam de neexplicat care esti Mircea.

    Legat de lapte: cam de cand si de ce se bea vaca in europa, in contrast cu consumul antic de capra cam exclusiv?!

    Din cate am citit atat in grecia cat roma se consuma lapte/branza de capra. De ce a declinat si de ce vaca. (doar) din cauza avantajului de volum, vaca da mai mult??

  6. Mircea Popescu`s avatar
    6
    Mircea Popescu 
    Monday, 28 January 2013

    Nu, vaca e mai eficienta, pe linga faptu' ca si caprele si oile distrug pasunea (de-aia oierii is nomazi, si vacarii traiesc in sat). Vezi ca-i un intreg cimp de studiu acolo, cauzele fizice ale mutatiei respective.

  7. You know what's funny? It's funny that all the people who claim to be "against monopolies" (and support "anti-dumping measures") fully advocate *for* a monopoly of aggression to punish those who are perceived to be "dumpers". "See, when Government has a monopoly, it's good."

    For some reason, this evokes in my mind the mindset of religious people, when they say "you shall not murder", but celebrate and apologize righteous murder, *when it is committed by their God*. "See, when God does it, it's infinitely good."

    So, just like the standard monotheist, these people have no problem with an egregious double standard, sitting on the living room of their minds, like a big fat elephant. And they will usually chew your head off, if you dare point out this elephant to them.

    Hypocrisy or mental malfunction? You decide!

  8. Mircea Popescu`s avatar
    8
    Mircea Popescu 
    Tuesday, 29 January 2013

    Ya, well... people sit on rocks all the time, rocks don't sit on people so well. Hypocrisy ?

  9. Is it really a good use of terms to call government regulation a "monopoly"? I thought the term was to be used in commerce.

    The so-called monopoly over rule-making is granted by the people governed, and if the executive power did take liberties not vested in them, that'd be called "tyrrany" or "dictatorship" unless I'm much mistaken.

  10. Mircea Popescu`s avatar
    10
    Mircea Popescu 
    Wednesday, 30 January 2013

    There's that entire Weberian approach to defining the state in terms of the monopoly on violence.

  11. ovidiu marascu`s avatar
    11
    ovidiu marascu 
    Thursday, 31 January 2013

    Gustere iti rup capul dk te prind vreodata in viata asta. Vorbeste de curva de mata, gaozar de doi bani. Si nu lasa cumva comentariile comunist imputit. kkt cu ochi

  12. Mircea Popescu`s avatar
    12
    Mircea Popescu 
    Friday, 1 February 2013

    Nua draga, da' ce ajitati ne gasim.

  13. ovidiu marascu`s avatar
    13
    ovidiu marascu 
    Friday, 1 February 2013

    ajitasi e in moldova la mata, gunoi cu ochi, ar trebui sa-ti crape obrazul de rusine kktul dk poti sa scri asa ceva despre mama mea

  14. Mircea Popescu`s avatar
    14
    Mircea Popescu 
    Friday, 1 February 2013

    Da' n-am inteles, ce treaba are doamna ma-ta cu laptele din Louisiana sau despre ce discutam ?

  15. ovidiu marascu`s avatar
    15
    ovidiu marascu 
    Friday, 1 February 2013

    http://polimedia.us/fain/muzica/nemtii-au-descoperit-falsul-horia-roman-patapievici-nu-e-doctor-ziua-de-vest

    asta ti se pare corect. pai nu meriti tu sa fi impuscat. cu mata cu tot care te-a invatat sa vorbesti asa?

  16. Mircea Popescu`s avatar
    16
    Mircea Popescu 
    Friday, 1 February 2013

    Asa ? Da' linkuri stii pune ?

  17. ovidiu marascu`s avatar
    17
    ovidiu marascu 
    Friday, 1 February 2013

    fi sincer macar o data in viata ai merita un glont in cap pt asta? Nu k esti un las care te ascunzi dupa un blog cu numne de imprumut...

  18. Mircea Popescu`s avatar
    18
    Mircea Popescu 
    Friday, 1 February 2013

    Bai juninca. Tu te crezi ziarist, da' esti copchilu' prost al unei curve bete. Alta data cind mentionezi un ceva de pe Internet il mentionezi cu link si-n felu' asta nu afla tot Internetu' via google secretu' tau de familie.

    Auzi la el timpeu.

  19. ovidiu marascu`s avatar
    19
    ovidiu marascu 
    Friday, 1 February 2013

    nu e o amenintare, dar te poti duce unde vrei cu asta. Dk te prind o data, desi ma iondoiesc, esti doar un obosit soarce de biblioteca te omor gunoi imputit, Sa-ti manci cuvintele si te aduc in fata doamnei de mama sa-i pupi picioarele

  20. ovidiu marascu`s avatar
    20
    ovidiu marascu 
    Friday, 1 February 2013

    mata e o curva ordinara. esti un cretin imberb, un poponar ratat, un gunoi de mitic

  21. Mircea Popescu`s avatar
    21
    Mircea Popescu 
    Friday, 1 February 2013

    Bine-bine. Te-ai gasit tu viteaz, auzi colo.

    Lamureste-ma cum functioneaza ceata de la tine din cutiuta craniana. Deci aici este unu', Mircea Popescu, care ti-o dat-o-n gura cit nu poti duce. Ceea ce pe tine te-o suparat. Grav. Pai cum sa caute lumea pe google ovidiu marascu si sa afle ca el este copchilu' prost a unei curve bete in loc sa afle ca el este ziarist respectabil la ziaru' respectabil ziuadevest ?!?!? CUM ESTE POSIBIL!

    Da' nu-ti pui problema ca toata basina aia de ziuadevest n-are atita putere si nici atita importanta cit sa se poata pune cu mine ? Adica tu lucrezi pentru ei, vin io asa din drum si te sparg, nu te gindesti tu cumva ca poate... totusi... sunteti niste nulitati agregate acolo ? Ca daca n-ati fi poate ca n-ai veni tu sa te rogi de mine sa te iert, poate c-as veni io la voi. Nu ie logic, prostila ?

    Nu e logic, ca asa-i cu astia ca tine, facuti de betivance. Noa, si in supararea ta de prost pe sat ce te gindesti tu ? Ceva gen ca inversezi realitatea dorindu-ti tare-tare sa se inverseze ? Facem schimb de locuri daca simti tu cu tarie ca asa ar fi mai just, sa fiu io jos si tu sus, cum e la tine-n imaginatie ?

    Bre, nu merge-asa. Ai supt-o, baga la cap. Cind vorbesti de ceva pe Internet pui link, ca nu-i internetu' tau, nu-i internetu' gozurilor de la ziuadevest si nu-i internetu' lu' curva aia betiva de te-o fatat pe tine. Ii internetu' lu' Mircea Popescu, si pe el te comporti cum iti zic io sau o sugi. Hai ca e simplu, poti chiar si tu sa tii minte atita lucru'.

    Si daca te-ntreaba vre-un troglodit cu pretentii nejustificate la manageritate de-acolo de la voi de la "ziar" de ce ai pus link ii spui clar si raspicat ca ai pus link pentru ca asa o poruncit Mircea Popescu, stapinu' gunoaielor ca tine, ca el si ca tot restu'.

    Spor.

  22. ovidiu marascu`s avatar
    22
    ovidiu marascu 
    Friday, 1 February 2013

    Esti clar nebun te-a fatat mata intr-un bordel, e clar. Sa mori gunoiule, ratat, frustrat si homosexual. Sa moara si bagaboanta de mata. Iti doresc sa moara in chinuri grele. Despre tine.... doar un rahat cu ochi, ce te ascunzi prin pizdele matii de frustrat. Dk pun mana pe tine te duc in fata lu mata curva sau la mormantul ei si te pun sa te pisi pe ea, muist ordinar

  23. Redăşchide Fainu, proştii te-nconjor...

    Don't you miss the drama? Unde mai pot fi înjuraţi Mărăştii lumii acum?

  24. Mircea Popescu`s avatar
    24
    Mircea Popescu 
    Friday, 1 February 2013

    Lol.

    Apai nu-mi lipseste dat fiind ca am abundenta in Bitcoin. Marastii de limba romana sunt oricum un subset plicticos si oarecum provincial-prafuit al imensitatii prostiei lumii.

  25. Marascule, hai sa te-ajut cu o adresa, vezi ca apare in penultima poza. Du-te si implineste-ti amenintarile cu violenta emise dinsus : http://trilema.com/2010/poftiti-la-tribunal-partea-intai-episodul-2/ dupa care scrie si-aici ca sa ne convingem ca ai coaie.

    Altminteri, sefii tai stiu ce tampenii scrii pe internet, sau le dau eu un forward cu link aici?

  1. [...] else is relatively small and unavoidably expensive. This includes any realtime two way communications. The expectation of routinely carrying [...]

  2. [...] sense of what will be going on in this article we need to start with matters discussed in the older Of skimmed milk and skimming the milk article. In relevant part : The theory behind it is this : without dumping, economy is a [...]

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