Further, it's really the Wal-Martization tactic that's so despicable, where a big chain, even locally based, moves in and attempts to squeeze out the independent businesses (which I've heard you rave about in previous threads, owillis) by using only superior force and financial leverage.
That said, I rarely go to Coffee Messiah, preferring the closer and much tastier Espresso Vivace. Broadway and Olive Rules! Whooo!
posted by hincandenza at 2:28 PM on September 2, 2001
I'm not reading that as being clear that the Coffee Messiah owner was the man, although it can sort of imply that. The question is, was the use of "a man" instead of "the owner of CM" a misleading spin by the report writer- not wholly implausible- or the simple facts of the case, that the *$ crew didn't get a good ID of the 'vandal', but suspected it might be the CM guy because of the stickers, so they sent the cops to pick him up. This report is too sparse to be sure...
owillis: Well, I agree that when megabiz does a better job, yay big business! However, something to bear in mind is that *$ has from the sound of it a generally better rep with the gov't police, while CM is something of a counterculture hangout, which makes this a little suspicious (although Gesthemene might be a bit much...). Also, more generally, the tendency of big business to externalize the costs of production- one of the basic no-no's of the free market- presents a false picture of quality vs. costs. Not that the local retailer is a holy sacrosanct thing, but let's not be too quick to praise megabiz for being better. For example, Wal-Mart was infamous for putting a new Wal-Mart in an area, and selling at or below costs, for a loss, to handily drive out the competition who had to actually stay in the black. They could only afford to do this because they'd subsidize that loss with the multibillions in profits from their innumerable other locations, until such time as that location was the only megastore left in the area, when their prices could return to profitable levels- perhaps even higher than they were before Wal-Mart arrived, to the detriment of consumers. Rinse, repeat...
Hey, maybe the CM guy was inspired by the South Park episode... :)
posted by hincandenza at 5:03 PM on September 2, 2001
I'm not reading that as being clear that the Coffee Messiah owner was the man, although it can sort of imply that. The question is, was the use of "a man" instead of "the owner of CM" a misleading spin by the report writer- not wholly implausible- or the simple facts of the case, that the *$ crew didn't get a good ID of the 'vandal', but suspected it might be the CM guy because of the stickers, so they sent the cops to pick him up. This report is too sparse to be sure...
owillis: Well, I agree that when megabiz does a better job, yay big business! However, something to bear in mind is that *$ has from the sound of it a generally better rep with the gov't police, while CM is something of a counterculture hangout, which makes this a little suspicious (although Gesthemene might be a bit much...). Also, more generally, the tendency of big business to externalize the costs of production- one of the basic no-no's of the free market- presents a false picture of quality vs. costs. Not that the local retailer is a holy sacrosanct thing, but let's not be too quick to praise megabiz for being better. For example, Wal-Mart was infamous for putting a new Wal-Mart in an area, and selling at or below costs, for a loss, to handily drive out the competition who had to actually stay in the black. They could only afford to do this because they'd subsidize that loss with the multibillions in profits from their innumerable other locations, until such time as that location was the only megastore left in the area, when their prices could return to profitable levels- perhaps even higher than they were before Wal-Mart arrived, to the detriment of consumers. Rinse, repeat...
Hey, maybe the CM guy was inspired by the South Park episode... :)
posted by hincandenza at 5:03 PM on September 2, 2001
If he is guilty or innocent, hopefully that will come to light shortly. If guilty, I don't think he stands to face much punishment anyway- if he does, that's the real story- unless he's got a history: this level of vandalism under SMC constitutes a misdemeanor property destruction and generally has a max penalty of 90 days/ $1,000. But for this particular act, most any prosecutor would all but slap on the wrist with a relatively minor fine- and suspended sentence, maybe- for a first time offender doing lightweight graffiti (i.e., stickers or fliers as opposed to etching into glass or spraypainting). However, if the prosecutor tries to seek the max penalty, or try to paint this as a gross misdemeanor (more than $50 worth of damage, unlikely if all he did was put some stickers up that a little hot water and a sponge would easily remove), then it becomes the political "corporate police" issue that the indymedia writer tried to paint it as....
Man, I'm tired... i really shouldn't post when I get tired... :)
posted by hincandenza at 2:33 AM on September 3, 2001
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p.s. Look! The Empire Strikes Back!
p.p.s. Sorry.
posted by lia at 1:02 AM on September 2, 2001