Yeah, that's kind of true. But I'm not quite understanding your context. Utilities, that is, gas, electricity, etc, are generally private companies and get their rates set for them. All they have to do to get a rate increase is prove they're losing money.
While they're always careful to show "nominal profit" in accounting, the business models are rarely efficient. They could no more compete in an open market than you or I could flap our arms and fly. They just play a game of "keep the politicians happy" and they get lifetime security AND profits. You'll never see the power company using old trucks and making do with cheap office space. Their version of "budgeting" is "how to make sure all the money is spent" each year, in order to justify the rates they charge. That game sound familiar? That's how EVERY agency operates financially. BTW, that's how every non-profit works too. Why can't I play it? Just askin. -------------------------------------------------- From: "Robert West" <robert.w...@just-micro.com> Sent: Tuesday, December 15, 2009 3:04 AM To: "'WISPA General List'" <wireless@wispa.org> Subject: Re: [WISPA] Report: Broadband stimulus funds won't suffice > Walks on the edge of survival. Most non-profits rely on outside funding. > An organization that is set up to serve the people and not make a profit > is > usually a careful balance unless they have a perpetual endowment. > > > > -----Original Message----- > From: wireless-boun...@wispa.org [mailto:wireless-boun...@wispa.org] On > Behalf Of MDK > Sent: Monday, December 14, 2009 9:36 PM > To: WISPA General List > Subject: Re: [WISPA] Report: Broadband stimulus funds won't suffice > > Walks on the edge of what? > > For many decades, we paid HUGE per minute prices for long distance. And > rather large sums just to have a phone, for that matter. The telcos > innovated nothing. They thought of "innovation" as some small thing > every > 20 years. > > Why? You know the answer. No free market. > > Once finally got the door busted down, and competition entered... Voice > services, long distance or not, cost so little they are insignificant. > And the range of services exploded. > > Do you want the ISP business to do the same? > > Just get Uncle Sam involved and it'll come to a screeching halt, all us > small players will go away, and we'll have non evolutionary communications > for a few decades. > > Fortunately, it seems the cat is out of the bag, and we're too hard to > stuff > > back in, though the Congress and FCC so badly want to. > > Medicare refused to pay for services and as a result, my mother died 20 > years too soon. > The VA medical system is unresponsive. My father died of rather > pointless > issues in a VA hospital because the care just isn't... "there". > Social Security is a scam that makes Madoff look like Robin Hood. > Government created monopolies and we suffered for decades because of > them... > > still do. > > I read somewhere in this thread that I or someone had claimed the free > market will do everything. NO, it will not. But it will do the best > that can be done. And government will do the worst. > > And I'll stake my LIFE on that. > > > > -------------------------------------------------- > From: "Robert West" <robert.w...@just-micro.com> > Sent: Monday, December 14, 2009 1:55 PM > To: "'WISPA General List'" <wireless@wispa.org> > Subject: Re: [WISPA] Report: Broadband stimulus funds won't suffice > >> But none of those would work unless they were setup as a not for profit. >> Any entity that is to serve the people AND generate profit walks on the >> edge. >> >> Bob- >> >> >> >> -----Original Message----- >> From: wireless-boun...@wispa.org [mailto:wireless-boun...@wispa.org] On >> Behalf Of MDK >> Sent: Monday, December 14, 2009 4:37 PM >> To: WISPA General List >> Subject: Re: [WISPA] Report: Broadband stimulus funds won't suffice >> >> >> And each of these is the evidence I have that I do NOT want them doing >> anything more, and I want them OUT of those things, as well. >> >> >> >> -------------------------------------------------- >> From: "Tim Sylvester" <t...@avanzarnetworks.com> >> Sent: Sunday, December 13, 2009 5:27 PM >> To: "'WISPA General List'" <wireless@wispa.org> >> Subject: Re: [WISPA] Report: Broadband stimulus funds won't suffice >> >>> Yes, I am amazed. Amazed by the bitching and whining about government on >>> this list by people who ... >>> >>> - sell wireless service using spectrum "owned" by everyone and allocated >>> to >>> them by the FCC for free or low cost. >>> - sell access to the Internet, a network originally funded and developed >>> by >>> DARPA and later funded by the National Science Foundation. >>> - drive on roads funded with taxpayer dollars and maintained by the >>> government. >>> - sell Internet service in rural areas to farmers that receive billions >>> in >>> government subsidies per year. >>> - connect CPE equipment to electrical service that was funded by the >>> Rural >>> Electric Administration. >>> - use VA health services. >>> - will use Medicare and Social Security when they retire. >>> - call the police and fire department when they need help. >>> - send their kids to public schools. >>> >>> Amazing. >>> >>> Tim >>> >>> >>> >>> >> > ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- >> ---- >>> WISPA Wants You! 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Join today! >> http://signup.wispa.org/ >> > ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- > ---- >> >> WISPA Wireless List: wireless@wispa.org >> >> Subscribe/Unsubscribe: >> http://lists.wispa.org/mailman/listinfo/wireless >> >> Archives: http://lists.wispa.org/pipermail/wireless/ > > > > ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- > ---- > WISPA Wants You! Join today! > http://signup.wispa.org/ > ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- > ---- > > WISPA Wireless List: wireless@wispa.org > > Subscribe/Unsubscribe: > http://lists.wispa.org/mailman/listinfo/wireless > > Archives: http://lists.wispa.org/pipermail/wireless/ > > > > > > -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- > WISPA Wants You! 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