Politics

[Mekaniks]

I don’t understand what’s so hard to understand about ticket prices….
They are simple supply and demand.
80k seats and 110k people want to go = ticket prices go up.
80k seats and 50k people want to go = ticket prices come down…..
in the case of the Super Bowl there is exactly one every year….
If it’s a concert, the promoters decide if it’s financially feasible, they add nightly shows…

If average wages are not keeping up with the ability to purchase tickets then eventually folks have stop attending… and ticket prices will drop….

Promoters for artists like Taylor Swift make sure there are plenty of “discount “ tickets made available so that “average folk” can afford to attend, keep the seats full and continue to drive music and merch sales.
No different than a grocery store putting a popular item “on sale” to create additional traffic into the store in hopes of selling stuff that isn’t on sale….

It’s all a business….

 

[Rafiki]

I don’t understand what’s so hard to understand about ticket prices….
They are simple supply and demand.
80k seats and 110k people want to go = ticket prices go up.
80k seats and 50k people want to go = ticket prices come down…..
in the case of the Super Bowl there is exactly one every year….
If it’s a concert, the promoters decide if it’s financially feasible, they add nightly shows…

If average wages are not keeping up with the ability to purchase tickets then eventually folks have stop attending… and ticket prices will drop….

Promoters for artists like Taylor Swift make sure there are plenty of “discount “ tickets made available so that “average folk” can afford to attend, keep the seats full and continue to drive music and merch sales.
No different than a grocery store putting a popular item “on sale” to create additional traffic into the store in hopes of selling stuff that isn’t on sale….

It’s all a business….

Plus there's always spots bars and TV; better seats anyway.

 

[Big_Easy]

Your math doesn't math. Ten percent is not too high for entry level. Do you really think people are or should aspire to stay in these jobs and not work for a promotion? Restaurants, for example, each have supervisors and usually, four managers - two in the back of the house and two in the front. It is not that hard to get promoted unless you are a slacker.

The 10% was just for restaurants. As I stated in my post already, 41% of people make less than $25/hr. The median mortgage payment is $2225/month. That would be a housing ratio of 53%. I don't know how one pays the bills on that. Not just survive, but thrive and get ahead. Are you saying that 41% of American workers are slackers? I should think that would be news to them.

 

[Big_Easy]

This morning a John Stossel video popped into my feed that was shocking even to me. He completely debunked myths that young people are having a harder time than prior generations. The data he cited was remarkable: unemployment way lower today, most people didn't go to or save for college, the family car was junk and lasted half as long, Gen-Z incomes are 50% higher inflation adjusted from Baby Boomers of same age, etc, etc.

The video: https://www.facebook.com/share/v/18LB9k2uSf/

Percentage of income spent on rent in the 1950s: 17%
Percentage of income spent on rent in 2026: 36%

Percentage of income spent on a mortgage in the 1950s: 22%
Percentage of income spent on a mortgage in 2026: 38%

Here endeth the lesson.

 

[Big_Easy]

Politicians ''love to say things like "you can't feed a family of 4 on minimum wage", like that's the goal of minimum wage.

Yes, that was literally the goal of it when it was established in the 1930s.

The situation that they've now created is to treat all jobs as equal in terms of value when they are not.

I don't know any Democrats saying this, please provide examples.

Some states FORCE restaurants to pay exurbanite wages for front-facing employees who get tips (untaxed now)

No tax on tips is capped at $25K.

 

[Big_Easy]

https://twitter.com/x/status/2094465053357375629

Now even live sporting events need to be included as part of living wage.

It never ends, just a different form of keeping up with Jones, see something on the internet or hear what someone else is doing and go I deserve to be able to afford that.

Maybe you should re-read Bernie's post. Looks to me like he's tired of Billionaires getting their new stadiums paid for with public tax dollars after they bribe some local politicians (oops I mean "campaign contributions"). I mean if my tax dollars are buying the stadium, shouldn't I, as a local resident, at least get a discount?

 

[wesheltonj]

Percentage of income spent on rent in the 1950s: 17%
Percentage of income spent on rent in 2026: 36%

Percentage of income spent on a mortgage in the 1950s: 22%
Percentage of income spent on a mortgage in 2026: 38%

Here endeth the lesson.

And in the 1950, folks were not purchasing McMansions either.

 

[Big_Easy]

I think it is fucking ridiculous to subsidize ticket prices.

So do I. Now where do you stand on subsidizing stadium prices since that was the point of Bernie's post?

 

[Tundra Tiger]

Military folks... maybe I missed it: your thoughts on Driscoll's resignation? Was him resigning a bad or regrettable thing? Also, I see Hegseth is blocking promotions for others. I value the perspectives of those of you having that background.

 

[Big_Easy]

And in the 1950, folks were not purchasing McMansions either.

The smallest new single family home built by me is 1,978 SF. That's the problem. The supply of single family starter homes decreases every year.

 

[mdwest]

I don’t know much about Driscoll other than he’s tight with Vance (went to Yale law together)… which might have caused some friction with Hegseth…

But… I think there is a bad pattern forming.. it’s one thing to fire a GO or SES in the pentagon if they are diametrically opposed to the SECDEF’s established mission/vision/values… but I’m seeing more and more senior leaders being dismissed from the pentagon because Hegseth seems to simply dislike them… which appears to be motivating others to resign and get out while the getting is good..

If deputy secdef or the chairman of the joint chiefs resign or get fired anytime soon, I’d think it’s time for Trump to seriously start thinking about firing Hegseth.. both by all accounts appear to be doing very good work..

 

[wesheltonj]

The smallest new single family home built by me is 1,978 SF. That's the problem. The supply of single family starter homes decreases every year.

And that’s a 1000sf more than a 2950 home. Helps explain why starter homes cost more and take more income.

 

[spike.t]

I don’t know much about Driscoll other than he’s tight with Vance (went to Yale law together)… which might have caused some friction with Hegseth…

But… I think there is a bad pattern forming.. it’s one thing to fire a GO or SES in the pentagon if they are diametrically opposed to the SECDEF’s established mission/vision/values… but I’m seeing more and more senior leaders being dismissed from the pentagon because Hegseth seems to simply dislike them… which appears to be motivating others to resign and get out while the getting is good..

If deputy secdef or the chairman of the joint chiefs resign or get fired anytime soon, I’d think it’s time for Trump to seriously start thinking about firing Hegseth.. both by all accounts appear to be doing very good work..

So hegseth behaving like a mini XI.....purging top people then....?...

 

[spike.t]

More information on the usa Venezuela oil deal.....not going down well with quite a few sectors....

Remarkable US oil deal puzzles analysts - and angers many Venezuelans

Amounting to 65 billion barrels of crude, the deal is labelled by one ex-envoy as a colonialist "fever dream".

www.bbc.com

 

[spike.t]

Looks like party time for the guys and gals from the uss Abraham Lincoln.....

USS Abraham Lincoln docks at Thailand's Pattaya resort after 250 days at sea

The USS Lincoln is docking close to Pattaya, known for its raucous nightlife, and for sex tourism.

www.bbc.com

 

[Foxi]

The European press is reporting that he's on his last legs.
Do you actually believe that?
Or is this just the usual bashing by journalists?
It would be interesting to hear your thoughts on this.
Foxi

 

[Russ16]

And in the 1950, folks were not purchasing McMansions either.

My house was built in 1952. Up until the 1990s it would have been at a price accessible by teachers and the like. It is not now. It is not a McMansion. For perspective, there is not a single wall in the house where I could hang a shoulder mount without dominating the room.

I think that housing prices are very localized and national averages are not instructive. Which is why there is so much disagreement about them here.

Where I live I have no idea how a person staring out earns enough for the down payment without help from somewhere. I know what I pay people and it is good kinetic and competitive. But I know what they pay for rent to live in a neighborhoid with a reasonable level of safety. Even sharing rooms. I know what it costs to commute etc. none of them are living extravagantly.

Housing prices continue to increase here faster than they can save.

It worries me because I believe prices must eventually crash. We don’t have new buyers entering the pipeline in starter houses who can eventually trade up to the more expensive houses.

I know that’s not the case in all areas and I’m not arguing whose policies have created the situation. But I think all of us have our own perspective on housing based on where we live or have experience.

 

[375 Ruger Fan]

Hegseth didn't like Driscoll because Driscoll could do more push ups than him.

 

[375 Ruger Fan]

 

[Wade J VanGinkel]

My house was built in 1952. Up until the 1990s it would have been at a price accessible by teachers and the like. It is not now. It is not a McMansion. For perspective, there is not a single wall in the house where I could hang a shoulder mount without dominating the room.

I think that housing prices are very localized and national averages are not instructive. Which is why there is so much disagreement about them here.

Where I live I have no idea how a person staring out earns enough for the down payment without help from somewhere. I know what I pay people and it is good kinetic and competitive. But I know what they pay for rent to live in a neighborhoid with a reasonable level of safety. Even sharing rooms. I know what it costs to commute etc. none of them are living extravagantly.

Housing prices continue to increase here faster than they can save.

It worries me because I believe prices must eventually crash. We don’t have new buyers entering the pipeline in starter houses who can eventually trade up to the more expensive houses.

I know that’s not the case in all areas and I’m not arguing whose policies have created the situation. But I think all of us have our own perspective on housing based on where we live or have experience.

As an example of this. I live about 40 minutes from Aspen. A double wide trailer from the late 70s or 80s starts at about 250k. Space rent for same is over 1k monthly now and goes up yearly.
The cheapest real homes start at about 700k and those are fixer homes that are usually small ones from the 50s to 70s also.