Posts by Rich of Observationz

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  • Hard News: Consumer,

    That was NZD1300 over 2 years!

    Back in Wellington • Since Nov 2006 • 5550 posts Report

  • Hard News: Consumer,

    FM radio bah! If mobile data was reasonably priced I could listen to bFM over IP. If we had nationwide 3G coverage I could listen to the B in Eketahuna.

    On the luxury good thing, the Cartier is functionally equivalent to a Swatch. A Ferrari is functionally equivalent (more or less) to an $80k Subaru.

    The iPhone price/cost ratio is not so out of line with these things. I reckon fair value (if they really cost USD200 to make) would be NZD600 for the device and NZD30 a month for the plan = NZD1300 per year.
    So something over 5k to be flash..

    Back in Wellington • Since Nov 2006 • 5550 posts Report

  • Hard News: Consumer,

    I guess what Apple/VF are doing is no different to what Cartier, Hermes and Ferrari do with their products. A Cartier watch probably costs low four figures to put together, and they sell it for $20k.

    These things are Veblen goods demand increases as a function of price.

    Back in Wellington • Since Nov 2006 • 5550 posts Report

  • Hard News: Consumer,

    If I understand Angus correctly, he's talking about relocating production to countries that reject the Kyoto protocol.

    The European Union is talking about placing a carbon tarriff on goods from such countries.

    Back in Wellington • Since Nov 2006 • 5550 posts Report

  • Southerly: A Trip to Canberra with Alan Bollard,

    I for one am outraged by our taxpayer dollars going on these kinds of trans-Tasman piss-ups for senior public servants.

    Russell, these people are Central Bankers. They need to assert their monetary independence on an international stage. Health and MSD, they're the ones going on trans-Tasman piss-ups.

    Back in Wellington • Since Nov 2006 • 5550 posts Report

  • Hard News: Consumer,

    My understanding is that offsets are only created for new forestry, e.g. planting trees on a former dairy farm?

    It's that change that takes up the carbon (over a period). The time between takeup and release of carbon is very complicated. Yes, use for housing timbers sequestrates the carbon post-harvest, but only until the house is torn down and the timber dumped or burnt. (Plus the issue of whether the timbers are recycled or used as firewood).

    But I'm not 100% on this, though I know somebody who does know.

    Back in Wellington • Since Nov 2006 • 5550 posts Report

  • Southerly: A Trip to Canberra with Alan Bollard,

    YouTube! YouTube!

    I was waiting for a bunch of central bankers to be rolling down the street chanting: "I'm gonna put your f...in mortgage up!".

    Back in Wellington • Since Nov 2006 • 5550 posts Report

  • Island Life: Courtroom 15,

    who buys all those expensive suits

    The defendants?

    Back in Wellington • Since Nov 2006 • 5550 posts Report

  • Cracker: I don't just read the…,

    What I find a bit odd, Mr Developer, is that one can embed a youtube but not an image. I think images in comments (ala LiveJournal) make a site more interesting.

    Or is it the slippery slope to MySpaceness (spiritual home of the <BLINK>) tag)?

    Back in Wellington • Since Nov 2006 • 5550 posts Report

  • Hard News: The Mood,

    The police are already making excuses about how hard it would be to investigate without a complainant

    If it had gone a bit further and turned into murder they'd have to investigate without a complainant, wouldn't they?

    Plenty of people have been convicted for murder on circumstantial evidence, not to mention informal confessions.

    Back in Wellington • Since Nov 2006 • 5550 posts Report

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