Author Topic: Overheard on Facebook  (Read 6082090 times)

prudent_one

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Re: Overheard on Facebook
« Reply #7600 on: July 20, 2018, 02:16:19 PM »
I hear that all the time about the overtime. Killing themselves for it and doing nothing of consequence with it.

Ah, this reminded me of a co-worker from long ago.  He had been working there a long time and I was a snot-nosed "summer worker" kid, May-August. He told me he squirreled away every dime from overtime pay and if I ever had the chance I should do the same. It wasn't a lucrative gig but it was unionized and for the times, it paid pretty good for an office non-managerial job, and the OT opportunities were usually plentiful (maybe another 10-18 hours/week, equal to roughly a 30-35% pay boost on average if you worked it all (and he did, for many years).

When he turned 58, he gave his 2 week notice and left. Never said he was retiring, just that he was quitting.  In those days there was no concept of ER. What were people saying? He must have gotten some terrible illness, had a mental breakdown, some scandal must have happened and made him move away, all kinds of fanciful thoughts.

I found out from friends-of-friends that he actually did simply ER, powered by those years of saved OT pay (and his pension).  But he never told co-workers he was actually retiring. It would have make their heads explode, that kind of thing just couldn't happen to a Joe Six-pack. Who could imagine someone would voluntarily walk away from a job when you're making the highest salary of your career?

It was the first I ever heard (or imagined) it was conceivable that one might not need to work to age 65.

But thinking of the other people in the office, he made the right move in not saying he was retiring early. They would have been bitter and resentful and probably accuse him of criminal activity.

marty998

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Re: Overheard on Facebook
« Reply #7601 on: July 21, 2018, 07:25:28 PM »
I am really disappointed. Devastated even. I hate picking on mustachians but this cut deep for whatever reason.

On the Mustache Australia FB page of all places. Someone put up a screen cap of their TV showing the Tour De France with the caption "Ever since I discovered mustachianism I love watching this" (paraphrased). I clicked "Like" on that post.

I shit you not the first comment was "what does this have to do with MMM?"

I mean really.

BIKES BIKES BIKES BIKES BIKES BIKES BIKES

As far as the eye can see!!!

Sometimes I shake my head and wonder.

Little Aussie Battler

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Re: Overheard on Facebook
« Reply #7602 on: July 21, 2018, 10:15:55 PM »
Those bikes probably cost $10-20k each, so I don't think the link is that obvious.

For me the TDF is a reminder that almost any hobby or lifestyle choice can be expensive if you let it.

Kyle Schuant

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Re: Overheard on Facebook
« Reply #7603 on: July 22, 2018, 05:24:33 AM »
The TdF bears the same relationship to cycling for commuting as Formula One does to driving for commuting.


Most racing is inherently anti-frugal. You run, ride or drive in circles, coming back to where you started. Nothing could better symbolise the modern consumerist economy than a competition in who can spend vast amounts of energy and money to go nowhere the fastest.
« Last Edit: July 22, 2018, 05:54:15 PM by Kyle Schuant »

AlanStache

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Re: Overheard on Facebook
« Reply #7604 on: July 22, 2018, 01:55:48 PM »
Racing has been a good force for the development of new tech that eventually filters down to normal consumer options.  I would expect that Formula E and that Pikes Peak electric are using tech that will find there way into cars I will buy (second hand) in future years.  No doubt that conspicuous consumption plays a part in the early version of the consumer tech but I am not to opposed to letting others pay for the development costs of my stuff :-)

The Fake Cheap

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Re: Overheard on Facebook
« Reply #7605 on: July 23, 2018, 08:29:02 AM »

Our 5 year old vehicle had 50k miles on it and we need something reliable

You’ll always have a car payment that’s just a fact of life

I wanted to trade the old vehicle off while it was still worth something

These are the same guys that get upset when they don’t get called in for overtime work. I’ve given up they can live paycheck to paycheck and complain the whole time they are doing it lol

I had a friend fall for this recently.  He traded in his 4 or 5 year old car because it had 98,000 KM on it or something like that, so the salesman convinced him that he should trade it in now (towards a new car of course) while "it has maximum value, before it hits 100,000 KMs.  Of course the car he was trading in wasn't paid off, so the payments were conveniently added to the new car loan!  Yay!!  *Facepam*

one piece at a time

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Re: Overheard on Facebook
« Reply #7606 on: July 25, 2018, 03:34:51 PM »
On Facebook somebody got offended because they received a face punch and were forced to question why they were following societies latest trends rather than reviewing core values and doing a solid cost benefit analysis.

Facebook is the worst.

jambongris

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Re: Overheard on Facebook
« Reply #7607 on: July 25, 2018, 05:30:23 PM »
Well, in French (French French at least, not Belgian French) 95 is « four-twenty fifteen » and other such fun things. :)

We're indeed using the "ninety-five" (nonante-cinq) form over here.

When did "quatre-vingts" die out?

quatre-vingt isn't used anymore? What's used for eighty then? Wow I'm getting old if my high school French is no longer up to date!

The always entertaining Numberphile on odd numbers from a linguistic perspective. Quatre-vingt has nothing on Danish 58.


NorthernDreamer

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Re: Overheard on Facebook
« Reply #7608 on: July 26, 2018, 08:05:01 AM »
I am a member of an anti-MLM group on Facebook, and it is usually hilarious (and sad). [MLM = multi level marketing] Someone posted about a book to do with "Retiring Your Husband" written by an MLM'er - and this was a comment. The IRP are angry!

"Step 1.... Write a book and scam people into buying it. This reminds me of that idiot guy that goes by Mr. Money Mustache. He makes all his followers believe he and his wife retired at 30 or something like that and they only do the odd job here and there but never once does he admit how much money he makes from his site or from his endorsement deals. It's absolutely disgusting."

dragoncar

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Re: Overheard on Facebook
« Reply #7609 on: July 26, 2018, 03:20:08 PM »
I am a member of an anti-MLM group on Facebook, and it is usually hilarious (and sad). [MLM = multi level marketing] Someone posted about a book to do with "Retiring Your Husband" written by an MLM'er - and this was a comment. The IRP are angry!

"Step 1.... Write a book and scam people into buying it. This reminds me of that idiot guy that goes by Mr. Money Mustache. He makes all his followers believe he and his wife retired at 30 or something like that and they only do the odd job here and there but never once does he admit how much money he makes from his site or from his endorsement deals. It's absolutely disgusting."

Wait, MMM wrote a book?

barbaz

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Re: Overheard on Facebook
« Reply #7610 on: July 27, 2018, 12:33:31 AM »
At least, unlike MLM, MMM works as a get rich scheme. So whatever money Pete made off me probably had the best ROI I’ll ever get.

KodeBlue

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Re: Overheard on Facebook
« Reply #7611 on: July 27, 2018, 08:41:07 AM »
I am a member of an anti-MLM group on Facebook, and it is usually hilarious (and sad). [MLM = multi level marketing "most lose money"]

Edited for clarity. :)

I'm a red panda

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Re: Overheard on Facebook
« Reply #7612 on: July 27, 2018, 09:11:39 AM »
Those bikes probably cost $10-20k each, so I don't think the link is that obvious.

For me the TDF is a reminder that almost any hobby or lifestyle choice can be expensive if you let it.

How much of their own money does anyone in that race spend?  While some of them likely receive only a small salary- aren't all of them paid to be doing this?  If anything, isn't the message that a job you love is the one to take?

Polaria

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Re: Overheard on Facebook
« Reply #7613 on: August 02, 2018, 03:49:07 AM »
Well, in French (French French at least, not Belgian French) 95 is « four-twenty fifteen » and other such fun things. :)

We're indeed using the "ninety-five" (nonante-cinq) form over here.

When did "quatre-vingts" die out?

quatre-vingt isn't used anymore? What's used for eighty then? Wow I'm getting old if my high school French is no longer up to date!

Huh? I was talking only about number 95, not 80? Did I miss something?
« Last Edit: August 02, 2018, 04:02:35 AM by Polaria »

RetiredAt63

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Re: Overheard on Facebook
« Reply #7614 on: August 02, 2018, 01:48:31 PM »
Well, in French (French French at least, not Belgian French) 95 is « four-twenty fifteen » and other such fun things. :)

We're indeed using the "ninety-five" (nonante-cinq) form over here.

When did "quatre-vingts" die out?

quatre-vingt isn't used anymore? What's used for eighty then? Wow I'm getting old if my high school French is no longer up to date!

Huh? I was talking only about number 95, not 80? Did I miss something?

You mean quatre-vingt quinze?

Polaria

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Re: Overheard on Facebook
« Reply #7615 on: August 03, 2018, 12:14:45 AM »
Well, in French (French French at least, not Belgian French) 95 is « four-twenty fifteen » and other such fun things. :)

We're indeed using the "ninety-five" (nonante-cinq) form over here.

When did "quatre-vingts" die out?

quatre-vingt isn't used anymore? What's used for eighty then? Wow I'm getting old if my high school French is no longer up to date!

Huh? I was talking only about number 95, not 80? Did I miss something?

You mean quatre-vingt quinze?

Let me rephrase my original post: in Belgium we do not use quatre-vingt quinze (four-twenty fifteen) for 95 but nonante-cinq, which is literally ninety-five. 80 is quatre-vingts in both Belgium and France.
« Last Edit: August 03, 2018, 12:25:09 AM by Polaria »

TheGrimSqueaker

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Re: Overheard on Facebook
« Reply #7616 on: August 03, 2018, 12:36:30 AM »
Well, in French (French French at least, not Belgian French) 95 is « four-twenty fifteen » and other such fun things. :)

We're indeed using the "ninety-five" (nonante-cinq) form over here.

When did "quatre-vingts" die out?

quatre-vingt isn't used anymore? What's used for eighty then? Wow I'm getting old if my high school French is no longer up to date!

Huh? I was talking only about number 95, not 80? Did I miss something?

You mean quatre-vingt quinze?

Let me rephrase my original post: in Belgium we do not use quatre-vingt quinze (four-twenty fifteen) for 95 but nonante-cinq, which is literally ninety-five. 80 is quatre-vingts in both Belgium and France.

I like "nonante" instead of "quatre-vingt dix"; it makes the numbers easier to think about. Do you get some form of "septante" also, or are you still stuck with "soixante-dix"?

Polaria

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Re: Overheard on Facebook
« Reply #7617 on: August 03, 2018, 01:20:35 AM »
Let me rephrase my original post: in Belgium we do not use quatre-vingt quinze (four-twenty fifteen) for 95 but nonante-cinq, which is literally ninety-five. 80 is quatre-vingts in both Belgium and France.

I like "nonante" instead of "quatre-vingt dix"; it makes the numbers easier to think about. Do you get some form of "septante" also, or are you still stuck with "soixante-dix"?
Yes we use septante and not soixante-dix.

marty998

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Re: Overheard on Facebook
« Reply #7618 on: August 03, 2018, 01:57:17 AM »
Let me rephrase my original post: in Belgium we do not use quatre-vingt quinze (four-twenty fifteen) for 95 but nonante-cinq, which is literally ninety-five. 80 is quatre-vingts in both Belgium and France.

I like "nonante" instead of "quatre-vingt dix"; it makes the numbers easier to think about. Do you get some form of "septante" also, or are you still stuck with "soixante-dix"?
Yes we use septante and not soixante-dix.

For the untrained, this sounds like an interesting sex position  :D

Languages can be funny like that...
« Last Edit: August 03, 2018, 01:58:52 AM by marty998 »

barbaz

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Re: Overheard on Facebook
« Reply #7619 on: August 03, 2018, 04:33:02 AM »
I started learning French in the beautiful year   dix-neuf cent quatre-vingt dix-neuf, but my favorite French number is 555.

boyerbt

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Re: Overheard on Facebook
« Reply #7620 on: August 03, 2018, 05:51:34 AM »
Not from Facebook but Reddit which I think is close enough...from the Financial Independence subreddit

"I probably spend $800/month on food just myself...I feel like all these lower budgets cant be correct. Or it's just a lot of home cooking I guess."

This person almost gets that 1+1=2 with his/her thinking (home cooking = cheaper) but I don't think any changes are going to be made here. $800/month for one person, we spend a little more than half of that for two people but guess what? We cook A LOT!

And to keep with the French trend - C'est la vie!

mm1970

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Re: Overheard on Facebook
« Reply #7621 on: August 03, 2018, 09:28:00 AM »
Let me rephrase my original post: in Belgium we do not use quatre-vingt quinze (four-twenty fifteen) for 95 but nonante-cinq, which is literally ninety-five. 80 is quatre-vingts in both Belgium and France.

I like "nonante" instead of "quatre-vingt dix"; it makes the numbers easier to think about. Do you get some form of "septante" also, or are you still stuck with "soixante-dix"?
Yes we use septante and not soixante-dix.
My HS French is so long ago I had to google.  I knew I should have known soixante-dix.  And of course, it was easier for me to figure out by figuring septante was probably 70.

dragoncar

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Re: Overheard on Facebook
« Reply #7622 on: August 03, 2018, 10:23:25 AM »
Let me rephrase my original post: in Belgium we do not use quatre-vingt quinze (four-twenty fifteen) for 95 but nonante-cinq, which is literally ninety-five. 80 is quatre-vingts in both Belgium and France.

I like "nonante" instead of "quatre-vingt dix"; it makes the numbers easier to think about. Do you get some form of "septante" also, or are you still stuck with "soixante-dix"?
Yes we use septante and not soixante-dix.

For the untrained, this sounds like an interesting sex position  :D

Languages can be funny like that...

Try soixante-neuf

JAYSLOL

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Re: Overheard on Facebook
« Reply #7623 on: August 03, 2018, 12:04:22 PM »
I don't have anything from Facebook, but...

dragoncar

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Re: Overheard on Facebook
« Reply #7624 on: August 03, 2018, 12:22:59 PM »


JAYSLOL

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Re: Overheard on Facebook
« Reply #7625 on: August 03, 2018, 03:14:01 PM »
Nah, not worth it

fruitfly

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Re: Overheard on Facebook
« Reply #7626 on: August 27, 2018, 05:11:36 PM »
An old acquaintance on FB (I've known this lady 30 years and she's been a hot mess the whole time) posted a couple weeks ago about driving three hours to get a half sleeve arm tattoo. I think tattoos are dumb (and this one was ugly) but whatever.

Then today she posts that she's going to have to drop out of community college* unless "someone" (not her or her husband I guess) buys her books. The total for all the books was less than $50.

*This is not a slag on community college, I went 3 years and loved it. Just context for how expensive her books and tuition are.

JAYSLOL

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Re: Overheard on Facebook
« Reply #7627 on: August 31, 2018, 07:43:21 AM »
A friend on Facebook who is from India just shared a post that shows a chart of the exchange rate between the Indian Rupee and US dollar for the last month.  The chart shows the US dollar equalling 68 Rupees at the start of the month and ending at 71 Rupees.  Whoever s post it was put the caption "Great to see our currency hitting new highs! Amazing growth!"

I don't think they get how that works.

CptCool

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Re: Overheard on Facebook
« Reply #7628 on: August 31, 2018, 08:49:18 AM »
A friend on Facebook who is from India just shared a post that shows a chart of the exchange rate between the Indian Rupee and US dollar for the last month.  The chart shows the US dollar equalling 68 Rupees at the start of the month and ending at 71 Rupees.  Whoever s post it was put the caption "Great to see our currency hitting new highs! Amazing growth!"

I don't think they get how that works.

Haha maybe they were excited that tourism & exports may increase due to the weaker currency

JAYSLOL

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Re: Overheard on Facebook
« Reply #7629 on: August 31, 2018, 11:02:55 AM »
A friend on Facebook who is from India just shared a post that shows a chart of the exchange rate between the Indian Rupee and US dollar for the last month.  The chart shows the US dollar equalling 68 Rupees at the start of the month and ending at 71 Rupees.  Whoever s post it was put the caption "Great to see our currency hitting new highs! Amazing growth!"

I don't think they get how that works.

Haha maybe they were excited that tourism & exports may increase due to the weaker currency

Could be, or maybe they are an exporter, but the way it was worded it I kind of doubt it

Primm

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Re: Overheard on Facebook
« Reply #7630 on: September 07, 2018, 04:25:39 PM »
Thread on a Facebook group dedicated to a budgeting software app (4 letters, starts with Y) where someone posted the new vanity plates they'd purchased for their new Tesla.

Both purchases were thanks to "this amazing software, which has enabled me to get enough money to pay for both of these things!" The kicker? The plates spelled out the name of the software... Nothing like providing free advertising for a company. I thought brand logo t-shirts were bad!

woopwoop

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Re: Overheard on Facebook
« Reply #7631 on: September 07, 2018, 09:58:14 PM »
I provided free advertising for YNAB when they sent me a free T-shirt, does that count? ;) I think half of my work shirts are from promotional advertising!

dragoncar

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Re: Overheard on Facebook
« Reply #7632 on: September 07, 2018, 10:51:03 PM »
I know a lot of people here love YNAB but really paying a monthly fee for something you can do for free is not very mustachian

Will

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Re: Overheard on Facebook
« Reply #7633 on: September 07, 2018, 11:17:59 PM »
I know a lot of people here love YNAB but really paying a monthly fee for something you can do for free is not very mustachian

I don't pay anything to use my version of YNAB.

dragoncar

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Re: Overheard on Facebook
« Reply #7634 on: September 08, 2018, 10:56:03 AM »
I know a lot of people here love YNAB but really paying a monthly fee for something you can do for free is not very mustachian

I don't pay anything to use my version of YNAB.

Huh, maybe you can link to the free version since I only see paid options.  Fully admit I might be missing it comepletly

Will

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Re: Overheard on Facebook
« Reply #7635 on: September 09, 2018, 08:46:16 AM »
I know a lot of people here love YNAB but really paying a monthly fee for something you can do for free is not very mustachian

I don't pay anything to use my version of YNAB.

Huh, maybe you can link to the free version since I only see paid options.  Fully admit I might be missing it comepletly

The version I am using is YNAB4, which was the last one before they switched over to the web-based monthly fee version.  Still fully functional and paid-for, so no reason to switch.  Hopefully it is a long while before it craps out.  I despise paying monthly fees for anything and probably wouldn't for YNAB.

carolinap

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Re: Overheard on Facebook
« Reply #7636 on: September 24, 2018, 07:43:51 AM »
Actually "Overheard at Youtube comment section"

In Brazil there are some fixed-income investments with very good return, and a famous finances-related youtuber has a lot of videos talking about one of this options. But for this fixed-income investment be a good option, she says that you have to call your bank and negotiate for them to drop the "bank transaction fee", or go to a online bank with no fees (I did the last one).

But 1 out of 10 comments on her videos were about how this investment was not good because their bank currently charged R$10 for the bank transaction fee. So they couldn't bother to do one call or open a new bank account online for a basically zero-risk fixed-income investment that is better than the basic savings account people usually have.

Also, this youtuber showed a simulation comparing the fixed-income investment with the saving account, and R$ 100 invested in 6 months gave a R$ 0,80 difference in return, and this same people who didn't do anything about the R$ 10 fee where like "that isn't worth the trouble to do things differently"
« Last Edit: September 24, 2018, 08:12:30 AM by carolinap »

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Re: Overheard on Facebook
« Reply #7637 on: September 24, 2018, 10:52:27 AM »
Quebec-based social media has been exploding, yay elections *rolls eyes*. Our outgoing premier put his foot in it when he said that it was possible to feed a family of 3 (parent + 2 teenagers) for 75$/month (50-odd USD, for Americans!).

Sigh.

The particular straw that's breaking my patience is the 6 people sharing a quote from some charity who has 'expert dieticians' claiming that it is impossible to fulfill all nutritional needs of a family for under 233$/month.

To be clear: 50$/3 adult appetites (... because teenagers EAT, yo) is hard. Impossible if you want things like vitamins and vegetables, or ANY milk (6$/gallon, legal minimum). BUT the people ranting about 200$+ a week are ... perhaps delusional? In that it's possible to eat VERY well for significantly less (witness: my grocery budget).

And then some people make very sensible points (say: salaries aren't rising much, food prices are rising, people don't know how to cook... why are we removing Home Ec from schools, when the students aren't learning the skills 'cause the parents don't have them either) and are being jumped on by everyone else, because somehow 'give people the tools they need to learn to do better' is horrifying to all.

Basically: it's Lord of the Flies, with no clear conclusion, and I need a drink before 1pm on a Monday.

Threshkin

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Re: Overheard on Facebook
« Reply #7638 on: September 25, 2018, 04:23:37 PM »
...snip...

To be clear: 50$/3 adult appetites (... because teenagers EAT, yo) is hard. Impossible if you want things like vitamins and vegetables, or ANY milk (6$/gallon, legal minimum). BUT the people ranting about 200$+ a week are ... perhaps delusional? In that it's possible to eat VERY well for significantly less (witness: my grocery budget).

...snip...

Wow! $6 CAD for a gallon minimum for milk is insane.  Here in the US milk starts at about $2.50 USD a gallon.  No wonder dairy products are such a major sticking point in the US/Canada free trade negotiations.

US producers would see a financial windfall exporting to Canada and/or Canadian producers would be crushed by cheap milk prices.

The joys of government controlled pricing.  Sugar is a good example of the same problem in the US.

TheGrimSqueaker

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Re: Overheard on Facebook
« Reply #7639 on: September 25, 2018, 04:34:24 PM »
...snip...

To be clear: 50$/3 adult appetites (... because teenagers EAT, yo) is hard. Impossible if you want things like vitamins and vegetables, or ANY milk (6$/gallon, legal minimum). BUT the people ranting about 200$+ a week are ... perhaps delusional? In that it's possible to eat VERY well for significantly less (witness: my grocery budget).

...snip...

Wow! $6 CAD for a gallon minimum for milk is insane.  Here in the US milk starts at about $2.50 USD a gallon.  No wonder dairy products are such a major sticking point in the US/Canada free trade negotiations.

US producers would see a financial windfall exporting to Canada and/or Canadian producers would be crushed by cheap milk prices.

The joys of government controlled pricing.  Sugar is a good example of the same problem in the US.

Then of course there are the outright government subsidies to the producers, which allow them to bring the products to market at a rate substantially lower than their actual cost. As long as those subsidies stay in place, the taxpayers of the producer country are subsidizing lower prices in the consumer country. That won't last, yet the farm lobby is so strong that the subsidies won't be the place where the breakdown occurs.

Kitsune

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Re: Overheard on Facebook
« Reply #7640 on: September 26, 2018, 07:14:00 AM »
...snip...

To be clear: 50$/3 adult appetites (... because teenagers EAT, yo) is hard. Impossible if you want things like vitamins and vegetables, or ANY milk (6$/gallon, legal minimum). BUT the people ranting about 200$+ a week are ... perhaps delusional? In that it's possible to eat VERY well for significantly less (witness: my grocery budget).

...snip...

Wow! $6 CAD for a gallon minimum for milk is insane.  Here in the US milk starts at about $2.50 USD a gallon.  No wonder dairy products are such a major sticking point in the US/Canada free trade negotiations.

US producers would see a financial windfall exporting to Canada and/or Canadian producers would be crushed by cheap milk prices.

The joys of government controlled pricing.  Sugar is a good example of the same problem in the US.

Then of course there are the outright government subsidies to the producers, which allow them to bring the products to market at a rate substantially lower than their actual cost. As long as those subsidies stay in place, the taxpayers of the producer country are subsidizing lower prices in the consumer country. That won't last, yet the farm lobby is so strong that the subsidies won't be the place where the breakdown occurs.

This. That's the cost of producing quality milk. Artificially cheap milk is cheap via subsidies, and the only farmers who can access subsidies are those with big operations - good luck succeeding as a small family farm, basically. In Quebec, most, if not all, dairy farms are smaller family farms (less than 150 cows, mostly), with cows who don't get hormones and spend summers in the fields and receive antibiotics when they're sick but not as a preventative measure. Basically, the equivalent of American organic milk, more or less.

Frankly, I'm fully in favor of a controlled supply that ensures the health of the province's family farms and costs the consumer rather than the taxpayer. But that DOES mean that a gallon of milk is more expensive.

Goldielocks

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Re: Overheard on Facebook
« Reply #7641 on: September 26, 2018, 01:11:21 PM »
...snip...

To be clear: 50$/3 adult appetites (... because teenagers EAT, yo) is hard. Impossible if you want things like vitamins and vegetables, or ANY milk (6$/gallon, legal minimum). BUT the people ranting about 200$+ a week are ... perhaps delusional? In that it's possible to eat VERY well for significantly less (witness: my grocery budget).

...snip...

Wow! $6 CAD for a gallon minimum for milk is insane.  Here in the US milk starts at about $2.50 USD a gallon.  No wonder dairy products are such a major sticking point in the US/Canada free trade negotiations.

US producers would see a financial windfall exporting to Canada and/or Canadian producers would be crushed by cheap milk prices.

The joys of government controlled pricing.  Sugar is a good example of the same problem in the US.

Then of course there are the outright government subsidies to the producers, which allow them to bring the products to market at a rate substantially lower than their actual cost. As long as those subsidies stay in place, the taxpayers of the producer country are subsidizing lower prices in the consumer country. That won't last, yet the farm lobby is so strong that the subsidies won't be the place where the breakdown occurs.
There are definitely reasons why Canadian dairy farmers:

1.  Have primarily grass fed / silage fed cows, with not nearly as much corn feed. The us has subsidized corn growers extensively, not just the dairy producers, so feed is a lot cheaper in the USA. 
1b.  Because so much grass fed corn, the vast majority of milk is naturally organic -- farmers just don't spray hay fields for pests or weeds like they do cultivated corn.  (Milk is mixed at the dairies, so can't be labelled organic even if the sources mostly are).
2.  Have hormone free milk, by law.   No bovine growth hormone means lower production per cow.
3.  Don't need subsidies unless a local disaster (flood, fire, etc) because they can rely on pricing.
4.  Yet Quebec has hundreds of dairy farms with less than 35 cows.  True "family farms".  Western canada averages close to 160 head per dairy.  USA average is 234 in 2018.

Instead of taxing Canadians, and paying subsidies to the farms, the dairy prices are kept high to directly pay for production of goods, and individuals are only granted licenses for specific volume to reduce oversupply crashing prices (or that is the the thought behind the dairy control boards, which do have some disadvantages).

Goldielocks

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Re: Overheard on Facebook
« Reply #7642 on: September 26, 2018, 01:14:03 PM »

Frankly, I'm fully in favor of a controlled supply that ensures the health of the province's family farms and costs the consumer rather than the taxpayer. But that DOES mean that a gallon of milk is more expensive.
Even at over $5/gallon here in BC, when you work out the cost per serving of protein or per 300 calories, whole milk is still one of the cheapest nutrition sources so higher prices are actually not so high compared to other foods.

Will

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Re: Overheard on Facebook
« Reply #7643 on: September 26, 2018, 03:21:05 PM »
...snip...

To be clear: 50$/3 adult appetites (... because teenagers EAT, yo) is hard. Impossible if you want things like vitamins and vegetables, or ANY milk (6$/gallon, legal minimum). BUT the people ranting about 200$+ a week are ... perhaps delusional? In that it's possible to eat VERY well for significantly less (witness: my grocery budget).

...snip...

Wow! $6 CAD for a gallon minimum for milk is insane.  Here in the US milk starts at about $2.50 USD a gallon.  No wonder dairy products are such a major sticking point in the US/Canada free trade negotiations.

US producers would see a financial windfall exporting to Canada and/or Canadian producers would be crushed by cheap milk prices.

The joys of government controlled pricing.  Sugar is a good example of the same problem in the US.

Luckily we don't need to consume milk or sugar.

SwordGuy

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Re: Overheard on Facebook
« Reply #7644 on: September 27, 2018, 09:09:22 AM »
This popped up on my FB feed today:

"I'm trying to persuade the teen to get his learners' permit so I can justify looking at new-to-me cars. He's not buying it.
He can walk to school and ride his bike to the bus to go downtown or the movies or whatever, why does he need a car?"


Sibley

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Re: Overheard on Facebook
« Reply #7645 on: September 27, 2018, 09:19:07 AM »
This popped up on my FB feed today:

"I'm trying to persuade the teen to get his learners' permit so I can justify looking at new-to-me cars. He's not buying it.
He can walk to school and ride his bike to the bus to go downtown or the movies or whatever, why does he need a car?"

Realistically, knowing how to drive is a valuable skill, even if you don't actually drive much. Said teen is being short sighted there.

I'm a red panda

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Re: Overheard on Facebook
« Reply #7646 on: September 27, 2018, 09:35:27 AM »
This popped up on my FB feed today:

"I'm trying to persuade the teen to get his learners' permit so I can justify looking at new-to-me cars. He's not buying it.
He can walk to school and ride his bike to the bus to go downtown or the movies or whatever, why does he need a car?"

Realistically, knowing how to drive is a valuable skill, even if you don't actually drive much. Said teen is being short sighted there.

I didn't get a learner's permit at first available time. I knew I wasn't ready to drive a car yet. It's a huge responsibility.
I think for a 14 year old or 15 year old to recognize that is a pretty valuable thing.

It also isn't cheap to get one.

Mississippi Mudstache

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Re: Overheard on Facebook
« Reply #7647 on: September 27, 2018, 09:56:37 AM »
This popped up on my FB feed today:

"I'm trying to persuade the teen to get his learners' permit so I can justify looking at new-to-me cars. He's not buying it.
He can walk to school and ride his bike to the bus to go downtown or the movies or whatever, why does he need a car?"

Realistically, knowing how to drive is a valuable skill, even if you don't actually drive much. Said teen is being short sighted there.

I didn't get a learner's permit at first available time. I knew I wasn't ready to drive a car yet. It's a huge responsibility.
I think for a 14 year old or 15 year old to recognize that is a pretty valuable thing.

It also isn't cheap to get one.

I waited maybe a month to get mine. It was definitely cheap. Not even $100, from my memory.

ixtap

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Re: Overheard on Facebook
« Reply #7648 on: September 27, 2018, 10:03:24 AM »
This popped up on my FB feed today:

"I'm trying to persuade the teen to get his learners' permit so I can justify looking at new-to-me cars. He's not buying it.
He can walk to school and ride his bike to the bus to go downtown or the movies or whatever, why does he need a car?"

Realistically, knowing how to drive is a valuable skill, even if you don't actually drive much. Said teen is being short sighted there.

I didn't get a learner's permit at first available time. I knew I wasn't ready to drive a car yet. It's a huge responsibility.
I think for a 14 year old or 15 year old to recognize that is a pretty valuable thing.

It also isn't cheap to get one.

I waited maybe a month to get mine. It was definitely cheap. Not even $100, from my memory.

I waited a year because that was when I could get into the free driver's education that the insurance wanted. Flight school and studying abroad might have had something to do with those scheduling problems.

I'm a red panda

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Re: Overheard on Facebook
« Reply #7649 on: September 27, 2018, 10:04:20 AM »
This popped up on my FB feed today:

"I'm trying to persuade the teen to get his learners' permit so I can justify looking at new-to-me cars. He's not buying it.
He can walk to school and ride his bike to the bus to go downtown or the movies or whatever, why does he need a car?"

Realistically, knowing how to drive is a valuable skill, even if you don't actually drive much. Said teen is being short sighted there.

I didn't get a learner's permit at first available time. I knew I wasn't ready to drive a car yet. It's a huge responsibility.
I think for a 14 year old or 15 year old to recognize that is a pretty valuable thing.

It also isn't cheap to get one.

I waited maybe a month to get mine. It was definitely cheap. Not even $100, from my memory.

OK- so the actual cost of the permit here is like $8.
But Driver's Ed can run $500-1,000 and teens can't get a license without taking drivers ed. (Adults can just go take the driving test.) Schools no longer offer it, and even 20 years ago it was not typical (in my area) for teens to take it through the school. 

I'm glad I waited until I was 17 to drive instead of 16. I still don't think it is safe for 14 year olds to be driving, as my current state allows. Their brains do not process the magnitude of the responsibility that is a car.
« Last Edit: September 27, 2018, 10:50:50 AM by I'm a red panda »