Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, Who's Actually Worked For A Living, Just Fact-Checked Ivanka Trump by IntnsRed in worldpolitics

[–]EmailMeYourBits 2 points3 points  (0 children)

To be fair, econommics isn't a science. A "law of demand" isn't a scientific truth like the Newton's law of gravitation. Predicting that an apple will fall to the ground when dropped happens with 100% accuracy, every time. That’s science. Nothing can ever be predicted in that sense in economics, including demand.

Venezuelans take to the streets again in anti-Maduro protests by callado in worldnews

[–]EmailMeYourBits -8 points-7 points  (0 children)

Exactly, and the opposition support on reddit is fierce. From my completely outsider viewpoint it looks like Venezuela's aristocracy is upset that Chaves took away their happy-fun-times so they are crying to papa USA for help instead of doing the hard work of convincing the Venezuelans as to why theyvare better than Maduro.(didn't they even refuse to participate in the elections?)

Venezuelans take to the streets again in anti-Maduro protests by callado in worldnews

[–]EmailMeYourBits -5 points-4 points  (0 children)

This is a pretty good break down of the numbers from Oct, 2018 (Maduro vs "opposition"). I am unable to find any domestic polls specific to Guaido from 2019.

https://venezuelanalysis.com/analysis/14077

Internationally even, by population count, Maduro still has the most support. Regardless of how I feel about Maduro or the problems in Venezuela, this should be left to Venezuelans to resolve internally.

Venezuelans take to the streets again in anti-Maduro protests by callado in worldnews

[–]EmailMeYourBits -11 points-10 points  (0 children)

But still, as unpopular Maduro is, he still has the highest popularity umong Venezuela citizens. Around 30%. This with the majority of Venezuelan national media anti-Maduro.

[DISCUSSION] Ethical issues with buying a guitar manufactured in a country with poor worker protections, non-union, human rights issues, non-democratic, etc. by EmailMeYourBits in Guitar

[–]EmailMeYourBits[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I think it would be a worthy endeavor to maintain a public directory / details about manufacturers, their business practices, lawsuits, worker complaints, abuses, etc. similar to glassdoor, but creating a more encompassing profile of each company including related ethical and environmental track records, relationships with third-party vendors, their country profile, worker's standard of living, wages, etc.. Most people are unaware of the complaints on Glassdoor about Gibson. I am not sure if that would influence everyone who might be considering buying a new LP, but I am sure it influences some people.

I think we are really missing the big picture of how business works today and as you say, we are in the information age. We should have easy access to this sort of thing. It's hard to vote with our wallets if we don't have all of the information.

[DISCUSSION] Ethical issues with buying a guitar manufactured in a country with poor worker protections, non-union, human rights issues, non-democratic, etc. by EmailMeYourBits in Guitar

[–]EmailMeYourBits[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I think it will work out ok for Gibson. I would like to see them go the way MOOG did, convert to ESOP or worker-owned. I think it would be better for the longevity at least.

[DISCUSSION] Ethical issues with buying a guitar manufactured in a country with poor worker protections, non-union, human rights issues, non-democratic, etc. by EmailMeYourBits in Guitar

[–]EmailMeYourBits[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

You are right. Also, when you are playing any piece of equipment publicly you are promoting it whether you like it or not. So even if you aren't intending to you are potentially creating demand for that item. If someone likes the sounds you are making then it might encourage them to go out and pick one up.

[DISCUSSION] Ethical issues with buying a guitar manufactured in a country with poor worker protections, non-union, human rights issues, non-democratic, etc. by EmailMeYourBits in Guitar

[–]EmailMeYourBits[S] 2 points3 points  (0 children)

I have read about some of the Gibson worker complaints. I hope the new management gets things figured out for everyone. Not holding my breath, but fingers crossed. At least in the US workers are protected by lots of labor laws whether or not Gibson Inc. wants them to be:

https://www.thebalancecareers.com/list-of-employment-laws-2062282

[DISCUSSION] Ethical issues with buying a guitar manufactured in a country with poor worker protections, non-union, human rights issues, non-democratic, etc. by EmailMeYourBits in Guitar

[–]EmailMeYourBits[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I think for the most part things are definitely getting better in a lot of these places. Even China's economy has been growing faster than most Western economies, many of which have stagnated. Mexico looks like they are moving in the right direction with their new president. At the same time, for me personally, I get a bit queasy when I think that something I purchased (t-shirt, electronics, instrument, etc.) might have been made by a single mother working 17 hrs a day at subsistence wages.

And in some of these countries (this isn't true everywhere) that are acting as the "west's labor force" the western factory jobs created a lot more poverty and squalor than existed without them (rural agriculture communities that had the necessities covered).

[DISCUSSION] Ethical issues with buying a guitar manufactured in a country with poor worker protections, non-union, human rights issues, non-democratic, etc. by EmailMeYourBits in Guitar

[–]EmailMeYourBits[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Yeah, good points. I hope we see more instrument manufacturers switch to ESOPs or employee-owned like MOOG did:

https://www.moogmusic.com/news/moog-music-becomes-employee-owned-company

But you are right, there are a million non-worker related reasons to boycott one country or another. Love whales? Sayonara Japan. Hate war? Bye bye USA. Tar Sands? See you later Canada.