Random thoughts that are pointless and too dumb to say anywhere else thread: 2015–2018 (plus one)

[Thurston Fluff]

I ordered some stuff form one of our vendors this morning. Then I had to do another order this afternoon. As I was doing the second order the person I was on the phone with said the person I ordered from this morning needed to ask me something before I got off the phone. When she got on the phone she asked me about the morning order and I answered it. I was curious as to how she knew it was me on the phone so I asked. Apparently they know it's me if the person can't stop laughing. Not sure what to think about that.

[1992casey]

Last week, I saw Mac malware for the first time. Yes, it does happen. It was on a friend's computer, and it came from a fake Flash installer. It installed three rogue apps and hijacked Safari. When surfing, she encountered "error" messages asking her to call a fake Microsoft for technical assistance.

 

Getting it required downloading and installation by the user. That can happen on any OS, no matter how secure it might be otherwise. The lesson is to get software from a trusted source.

[logan82]

http://arstechnica.com/security/2016/02/largely-undetected-mac-malware-suggests-disgraced-hackingteam-has-returned/

[Thurston Fluff]

Memo to people who live in Appleton. If you haven't been to Java Warnug's on N Richmond yet you really should try it. I recommend going for the lunch buffet. It's only $8 and there are so many interesting things to try it makes sense to do that route the first time you go. There are so many interesting choices you might take all night trying to figure out which dish you should try otherwise.

[Baldkin]

Why are some things called assassinations and other things called murders?

[DHonks]

Baldwin, I always thought of assassinations as the killing of a prominent political or social figure.

[1992casey]

I'd say the difference is somewhat subjective based on the prominence of the victim, the motive (political, religious, or military), a degree of secretiveness or surprise, and the level of treachery.

[jerichoholicninja]

Why are some things called assassinations and other things called murders?

 

Depends which one the media thinks will garner more attention.

[hawing]

Why are some things called assassinations and other things called murders?

"Assassination" is used when a prominent person is the victim. "Murder" is for the rest of us.

Edit: To me, "assassination" strongly implies premeditation. Many murders are premeditated, but not all.

[reillymcshane]

Why are some things called assassinations and other things called murders?

If this is not rhetorical, here's my answer:

 

An assassination is usually when a person is killed in a plotted out, surprising fashion (the victim is not expecting the attempt to kill him/her). Assassinations often have political/religious/finanical motives behind them, but not always. Often times the victim is prominent - but again, not always.

 

Some people use the term when it might not be appropriate because there's an association to the word that implies that the killing was related to some other greater event or conspiracy.

[logan82]

I would think of it as an assassination if someone got paid to do it.

[Baldkin]

Thanks guys, we had an interesting discussion about this over beers last night, and we sort of came to the idea that it's of a prominent figure, and is also not based on monetary gain, a crime of passion or a twisted desire to kill.

 

Happy Friday!

[LouisEly]

I don't understand the obsession with Amazon. Most of the stuff you can find cheaper on eBay, and from reputable sellers (at least 5000 reviews, at least 99% positive). Sellers on eBay, because of the feedback system, are also motivated to ship faster, thus it arrives quicker than from Amazon. No $35 minimum, no having to wait for them to ship all of your things together to get free shipping. Many large companies are on eBay (Target, Best Buy, Wayfair, etc.) too.

[NeedMoreFans]

I'm a Prime member, and I ordered something yesterday at around 3:00 and it was delivered today, less than 24 hours after I ordered it. That's why I use Amazon for a lot of stuff.

[jerichoholicninja]

I hate politics but I often find it very entertaining. I'm loving all the commercials this year that say by voting for so and so, you're actually voting for someone else. Nothing is a better reflection of the current state of American politics than encouraging voters to vote for someone they have no reason to vote for other than because they don't want someone else to win.

[DHonks]

LouisEly, I rant about Amazon to my students. Amazon should be investigated for unfair business practices for a number of reasons.

1) they've stated that their goal is to sell everything to everyone, without regard for profit (so all those folks that protest Wal-Mart for allegedly drive mom and pop stores out of business should really be protesting Amazon),

2) they've lobbied heavily to avoid internet sales taxes, which hurt state and local government, along with local brick-and-mortar stores,

3) they drove countless bookstores out of business by undercutting prices, but now they're planning on opening hundreds of brick-and-mortar stores

4) they dominated the e-book marketplace with over 80% market-share. They forced publishers to bend to their low prices, or risk not carrying their books. Authors and publishers reviled them. When Apple entered the e-book market, they set prices more in line with normal bookstores and took a 30% cut. Amazon didn't like that Apple became the preferred medium for publishers to e-publish works, and didn't like that publishers wished to raise their prices to Apple's rate, so they lobbied the government to sue Apple for monopolistic practices (despite Apple making up roughly 10% of the marketplace) while they themselves are practicing a new form of monopoly that seeks out marketshare dominance and is willing to have low-prices, disguised as "pro-consumer."

5) last I checked, they were not ranked favorably among workers

 

 

There's some things I buy from them for convenience (probably 1-2 times per year), but I prefer spending my money elsewhere. I enjoy having choice.

[LouisEly]

Keep in mind you pay $99/year ($49 if a student) or whatever for the right for it to come the next day. It's pretty rare that I need something that urgently; figuring $35 or so for overnight shipping I could do that three times a year and pretty much come out even with the Prime annual fee.

 

Lots of small businesses on eBay too.

 

Amazon wants to sell everything to everyone... but the model that they are pursuing is one where everyone sells everything through them so that they collect a 15% commission. They've collected so much data that they know the core items that they can stock in brick-and-mortar stores - reducing their inventory investment - and leave the rest for people to sell through them. Where they want to get to is keeping core items/top sellers in inventory and collecting a 15% commission on everything else.

[Patrick425]

LouisEly, I rant about Amazon to my students. Amazon should be investigated for unfair business practices for a number of reasons.

1) they've stated that their goal is to sell everything to everyone, without regard for profit (so all those folks that protest Wal-Mart for allegedly drive mom and pop stores out of business should really be protesting Amazon),

2) they've lobbied heavily to avoid internet sales taxes, which hurt state and local government, along with local brick-and-mortar stores,

3) they drove countless bookstores out of business by undercutting prices, but now they're planning on opening hundreds of brick-and-mortar stores

4) they dominated the e-book marketplace with over 80% market-share. They forced publishers to bend to their low prices, or risk not carrying their books. Authors and publishers reviled them. When Apple entered the e-book market, they set prices more in line with normal bookstores and took a 30% cut. Amazon didn't like that Apple became the preferred medium for publishers to e-publish works, and didn't like that publishers wished to raise their prices to Apple's rate, so they lobbied the government to sue Apple for monopolistic practices (despite Apple making up roughly 10% of the marketplace) while they themselves are practicing a new form of monopoly that seeks out marketshare dominance and is willing to have low-prices, disguised as "pro-consumer."

5) last I checked, they were not ranked favorably among workers

 

 

There's some things I buy from them for convenience (probably 1-2 times per year), but I prefer spending my money elsewhere. I enjoy having choice.

 

Sounds to me like they run a great business and I don't think any of the workers at Amazon are held there against their will.

[DHonks]

 

Sounds to me like they run a great business and I don't think any of the workers at Amazon are held there against their will.

 

 

I'm glad to see that they finally starting making money after nearly 20 years. But I wish everyone that refused to shop at Wal-Mart would also see that the biggest perpetrator of the business strategy is Amazon.

[Jimbo]

 

Sounds to me like they run a great business and I don't think any of the workers at Amazon are held there against their will.

 

I would so love to respond to this, but it would have to go to the political thread.

[Jimbo]

I went to sports card and memorabilia show this past Sunday and it had maybe a third of the vendors compared to ten years ago and very few browsers.

[jerichoholicninja]

 

Sounds to me like they run a great business and I don't think any of the workers at Amazon are held there against their will.

 

 

I'm glad to see that they finally starting making money after nearly 20 years. But I wish everyone that refused to shop at Wal-Mart would also see that the biggest perpetrator of the business strategy is Amazon.

 

I'm not a WalMart hater at all but Amazon does at least have small businesses and individuals selling to put money in their own pockets not just one family. In the online resellers groups that I'm in many sellers sell on eBay, Etsy, and Amazon and make most of their money on Amazon.

[1992casey]

I would so love to respond to this, but it would have to go to the political thread.

Yeah, we're fine right now because posts are staying within the bounds of common sense. It wouldn't take much to tip the scales, though.

 

I shop at Amazon quite a bit because I know the drill, I don't have to give my personal information to yet another vendor, track my package on systems I don't know how to use, etc. I can generally find what I want to buy and pay for it in a few minutes. Amazon's prices are generally competitive, although they're not necessarily the lowest. At times, a price will be way out of line.

 

Staying on the cusp of the political thing without actually getting political, I'll sure be glad to have a break from candidate phone calls. Yesterday, I got an automated call from someone running for a 2nd district city council seat in a city I don't live in.

[BrewersSuperCollector]

I hate both Walmart and Amazon, and won't shop with either one.

[LouisEly]

I'm not a WalMart hater at all but Amazon does at least have small businesses and individuals selling to put money in their own pockets not just one family. In the online resellers groups that I'm in many sellers sell on eBay, Etsy, and Amazon and make most of their money on Amazon.

Was hoping you'd chime in. When you say they make most of their money on Amazon, is that total $ or is that margin? I'm pretty sure that eBay charges lower commission (I've sold a few textbooks on Amazon the last couple of years and my net take seemed to be at lower % than what I sold on eBay), so I'd think that the higher margin would be selling on eBay.

 

Amazon makes it harder to see competitive sellers, and the seller they showcase/quote on the product page isn't always the lowest price, so maybe sellers can charge a higher price on Amazon.

 

Regardless, I just bought some personal care products on eBay for ~$95. Would have cost $120 on Amazon.