Re: Ticket terrorists

[Deliphus01@aol.com]

Not true, when most average concert goers are unable to get the seats they 
want because the brokers have swiped most of them, and are forced to pay 
brokers' mark-ups if they want them.  This has nothing to do with free 
markets, it's about FAIRNESS of competition.

Kevin Mc:

Look, it's a business deal that brokers made with the venues. It's legal. 
It's as fair as anything is in business...ask yourself how you like being 
forced to get cable and electricity from one seller. There's no difference. 
It IS the free market because any buyer can refuse to pay the price if they 
don't like it. The brokers would then lower their prices rather than lose 
their investment completely. So it's in your hands! But we need NO law 
concerning it, get it? I'm sick and tired of people forcing their personal 
views on us all as law.

  The average ticket buyer is not 
> on a level playing field with a broker who may have several or more people 

The average bread buyer is not on a level with a supermarket. The average 
music store is not on a level playing field with Wal-Mart. I (for instance) 
can't get new CDs wholesale for anywhere near the price they do, because they 
buy so many at a time. Is that fair and level? IOW, what's your point? You 
want laws to ensure everyone is always on a level playing field? That's 
impossible...everyone would have a different idea of what's "level." No 
concerts would happen at all.
> 
> number available to consumers at the retail price.  I believe there is 
> something inherently wrong with this.

There's something inherently wrong in a lot of things...if you're out to save 
the world, you're in the WRONG political party! About as wrong as you can 
get.
> 
> What's your theory as to why the venues bother to sell top tickets to
> brokers when they know they could sell them themselves?

Alan:

I can only speculate, but I must assume it's a business arrangement that's 
mutually advantageous. Maybe it saves the venue money in workload or time, 
and they're assured those tickets are sold regardless...perhaps the brokers 
guarantee they will buy out this section each and every time...or they simply 
pay more...which is the most likely since these are the tickets most likely 
to sell anyway.

> You're exactly right.  Pardon me if I don't hold my breath waiting for that
> to happen.

Certainly. These things take time. And as far as I can tell, not a single Who 
fan is working toward it.
> 
> Excellent.  I feel we should call this a meeting of the minds and break out
> the cookies.

I'll take a gin and ginger ale with a slice of lemon, thanks.
> 
> strongly endorse selling supplies for the highest price possible, as that
> is the fastest way to bring more supplies flooding in and depress prices
> back to normal, see below.

I have a little more faith in people than that, misplaced as it may be. I 
hope they would rise above the temptation to make money...after all, this is 
the lowest of motivations.
> 
> Can we agree that in a crisis (e.g., hurricane) demand for food and
> services goes up?

I don't know this is true. People tend to put in supplies as the hurricane 
approaches, and the down time is usually no more than a couple of days. There 
are special needs, like charcoal to cook or ice when there's no electricity. 
That could drive up the demand of those isolated items. As for building 
materials to do repairs, definitely since most of that was bought up before 
the storm (especially plywood).

  If so, what possible good would it do for the stores to> 
> sell out of their supplies at the good old price and then shut down until
> more supplies come in...IF they come in?

Usually the new shipments are on their way before the storm is over. The time 
involved is so short. And generally one might as well close because no one is 
shopping...if they need building supplies, then they won't be buying any more 
for the near future ANYWAY so in the long run it makes no overall financial 
difference if they sell what they have for more in the short term.
> 
> scene like we go through every time a Who show goes on sale...a feeding

Hey, that's part of the fun! Anyway, I could make the same sort of argument 
about same people who buy up the front for every show on the tour and keep 
local fans from getting up there (that would be plenty of people on this 
list). You're longing for that elusive "level playing field" that Kevin Mc 
imagines exists (but doesn't in real life).
> 
> you knew used CDs could be sold in Georgia for $30 a pop wouldn't you wan
> to find a way to get some stock there ASAP?

No, sorry but I'm going to have to disappoint you there. The focus in my 
store is low prices. I don't make a ton of money as a result, but I feel good 
when I go home and my customers love the place. If I knew they were selling 
for $30 in Georgia...given that I'd want to move to Georgia, which I 
wouldn't...I'd go there and sell them for $6 & $7 like I do now and take the 
business away from the $30 guys.
I'm not a very good capitalist, I guess. But I am true to what I believe, for 
whatever that may be worth.
> 
> Exactly so. And I don't see this as a knock on capitalism, the same limits
> would be imposed by any proper government, thus on any economic system.

Or taken away by an improper government, like the one we currently have.
> 
> pressed, I might be able to find some articles on pollution under the old
> USSR, and I KNOW you'd rather be here than there.

Too cold.
> 
> Pooh.  Democrats want to move healthcare away from capitalism even faster
> than do the Republicans.

Jeff was being facetious.

  Hillary took the best running shot in recent
> memory at socializing the whole industry, but fumbled.

"Fumbled" due to an orchestrated campaign by the insurance industry in a 
successful attempt to save their asses. More shame to them, and to those 
Americans who bought into it. They only screwed themselves, which is some 
comfort to me. It's like an intelligence test they failed.


    "They have miscalculated me as a leader."
             George "Mr. Salty" Bush

         
               Cheers                 ML