There ain't no doubt on that, Mike. But at least they put up thousands of brick and mortar buildings to employ the people they shut down.
I agree what NASA did with what they had available and the courage of the astronauts to trust the safeguards is way higher level than this accomplished but.. there’s always a butt. I think it’s good for innovation to have more than one player competing, it will escalate and speed up technology and propel us into the Jetsons era. . If that is what humanity wants as far as job losses go.. our govt should put a price tag on imports that don’t comply with our manufacturing environmental, humanitarian and safety standards that our local industry is forced to do. It would even out the playing field and spur on our economy and job growth. Butt then again it would cost the consumer more..
‘Shopping’ starting changing before Amazon. I worked retail in the ‘80s and ‘90s, and a lot of people liked shopping. Different stores had different goods based upon what the customers wanted. Stores competed (often pleasantly) with each other to provide good service and interesting products. Successful retailers listened to their customers and served them. It was fun to be a buyer and interact with customers. Selection and quality (and service) mattered more than price. Then the discounters and outlet malls trained customers to shop only on price. Quality products quit selling. US manufacturers closed or moved. Belts got tightened, pay stagnated, floor coverage fell, employees got laid off, customer service fell or disappeared, management got overworked and spread too thin, quality fell and consolidation eliminated any diversity of product. People realized there’s no fun in seeing the same, often lower quality stuff in every store and every store was poorly staffed with apathetic help. It made buying Levis or Nikes or dress shirts online a no brainer; the customer was primed for it. Retail shot itself in the foot. Kudos to Bezos for seeing it, offering it and profiting from it. It was sitting there waiting on someone to capitalize on it. Sears WAS Amazon a hundred years ago and they threw it away instead of pivoting back to their catalog days and going electronic with it. As for jobs, I’ve been saying for years that every chinese item you buy is an American job in jeopardy. Every timing cover, every tool, every boot. The only people who have the right to bitch about Bezos are the ones who refused to buy solely on price. Their buying cheap foreign goods (keeping the savings instead of paying the American worker) is exactly the same as Bezos spending his profits on a giant phallus. Patrick
When 90% of the whole world is owned by Blackrock and Vangaurd there is a clear monopoly over EVERY sector of the world. From food, to entertainment, oil, the news, etc. And that’s how we ended up with all of the worlds consumer spending funnelled back into the billionaires pockets. It’s not the consumers fault that the system is rigged against them. It’s no wonder people hate people like Bezos. While our small businesses were being shut down, he added 86 Billion to his wealth. I wonder if these guys own Blackrock and Vangaurd?
I disagree. Nobody held a gun to the shoppers’ heads and said ‘you can’t buy American made shoes! You must buy these cheaper foreign made ones!’ (Insert Craftsman tools, T/A timing covers, US made Levis, Cross or Parker pens, Raybestos and Bendix rotors, Corningware cookware, sheets, towels, toasters, blenders, jacks, hoists, etc.) Blame the customer as a whole, along with some of the retailers who failed to explain and differentiate themselves from the ‘always low price’ crowd. Not everything is a damned conspiracy. Sometimes it’s just business. Patrick
…And Vanguard and Blackrock don’t own all the things, their INVESTORS do. People who are investing for future income, wealth growth (and maintenance-trying to beat inflation) have to put their money somewhere. They can use a bank, they can start a business, or they can choose to invest in other businesses. A lot choose to invest and use those two. Again, no guns to any heads. And I’m not interested in reams of conspiracy nuttery from some internet Chicken Little. Patrick
I say It started with companies that tried to increase profits by penny pinching and loosing North American jobs. For instance plumbing products such as toilets were made here. Then they thought let's make them in Mexico. Then when they thought the Mexicans were making too much money they decided to get them made in Thailand. Now a lot of the population couldn't afford the products if they reverted operations here. We ourselves have become penny pictures as a means off survival. Alot of families can't even make it from payday to payday without using credit cards to even buy groceries. Look at the price of gas and housing. Back when I was a kid a lot of moms stayed home to raise their children and the dads went to work. Most of us had never seen a credit card. Now both parents work and sometimes ask the 18 year olds and over to pay rent . And even with all this credit cards are used to get by. When I started my trade, journeymen were making $ 18 an hour and you could buy a brand new home for $ 65,000 - $ 80,000. Sure wages have doubled but those same houses are now $1,000, 0000 +
When Bezos donates 25% to 30% of his time and money then maybe I'd have more respect for him. He had a goal and achieved it, so well done. Comparing him to a NASA program is somewhat comical. Not even close. As for advancing technology take a look at the rocket engines used by SpaceX. That is impressive especially the new series coming. As for selling off my toys that I earned to help others, , , not at at this time. That is my reward for busting my butt in this life. Selfish whatever We already donate 30 to 40 hours a week and 1/3 of my pay. I shop locally including family farmers markets. Also about 80 to 85% of our stuff is made in the USA or Canada. So I have done what I could and will still keep doing the same. Have a great day
No he didn't. He simply had the brains to digitize the Sears-Roebuck catalog after Sears decided to go strictly bricks and mortar. If Sears had digitized it's catalog, nobody would have ever heard of Jeff Bezos.
I half agree John, but I'd bet a cold beer with confidence that the entire cumulative Sears catalog from the beginning to present is about 1% of what Amazon offers. Amazon also works with many other businesses to offer more product and reduce their own inventory. That's why its a marketplace. I don't know the specifics but lots of companies sell on Amazon. Undoubtedly Amazon takes a swipe of the money in exchange for the market. Its way beyond anything Sears ever dreamed of.
You and I, we don't agree on a lot of things, but IMO you're correct with this statement. I think Sears would've faired far better had they adopted similar policies, but they never offered fake rubber dog **** (and the like extensive variety) as Amazon did. Not to mention all the streaming stuff. Brazzers might be akin to a super villain, but his business has become far more wide reaching than arguably any other and I certainly can't fault him for the immense success. That said, I still think he's a tool. And comparing himself to early NASA/Wright Brothers (by the way, sorry North Carolina, but as a Dayton native WE pioneered flight ) is laughable. Hell, he wasn't even the first in the "billionaire space race" to do it, Branson beat him.
This is whole thread is so transparent. We all know why Bezos is hated so much here. If he was detached from the project I'm sure no one here would have an issue with it. Hate the man all you want but don't belittle the accomplishments of his team. They built their own ship and it worked. Just try and imagine the scope of that project.
Yes it is but unlike the space flight some people have their panties in a wad about, you will never see it happen! I will have to say this is the first time I have disagreed with JW! Bob H.
This is almost as bad as playing the race card. Give me a break, people are allowed to have an opinion about something without politics being involved.
I mentioned nothing in specific. Its a strong tell that you jumped right to that. This thread was effed from the start.. i won't respond again.
Gotta disagree a bit with u Buddy on this one before Amazon got huge We as a society bought into Lowe’s, Home Depot, sams club,super Walmart’s , Costco ,Napa,Orielys auto parts autozone etc thou not all online these super chain stores have killed just as many mom and pop stores Killing lumber and hardware stores And small autoparts stores everywhere just saying we all have caused the change don’t blame the man blame the need it now society we have become I have a Amazon fulfillment by me Huge , full of employee cars 24/7 Fleets of delivery truck roll the roads here in Seattle Blue origin is also huge and has given lots to local economy and jobs just my perspective hope all is good Lucas
All good Roy, hope you're good, too. I was not insinuating that amazon started the process or is the only problem. Just that it is, at this point, the biggest issue and the thing that is most detrimental to brick and mortar businesses, be they small independents or larger chains like target. Just as amazon is doing to walmart, and walmart did to places like shopko and sears, something, someday, as hard as it is to believe, will come along and take amazon out.... and it's alright if we disagree. I'll still text you pics of things like sweet CT6 Caddys with blue exhaust tips
Exactly , none of the thousands of b&m jobs lost in my community were replaced with his warehouse jobs . They weren’t fork lift or box n tape jobs to begin with . Nothing like ending all those business so one a hole can be a trillionaire . Hey , at least he thanked his customers for funding his ego , glad I’m not one of them .
always good Lucas still love my 6 Up to 25 k miles now , not bad for a 16 It’s in my place by Joes so I don’t drive it much as I’d like to But it feels good when I do Been absent a lot lifes been busy Taking this weekend for goodguys show Been two years Need a break