Quote:
Yeah, because I know lots of people who are below the poverty line and indulge in extreme sports and rare pets. They knowingly take risks because they're bored with their white collar existence, not because if they don't take a risk, their family will go hungry.
Did you... bother... to actually read? I was listing general ways in which people deal with risk, why they take them, and to what degree a person is responsible when a risk catches up to them. I did neglect to mention people who take risks out of economic necessity but mitigate them as much as possible because they are not relevant, as they are behaving rationally and thus not germain to the discussion.
You will note that in all other cases, I listed to what degree I thought that situation was likely in this case. You will note I did not for the one you complained about... because I did not think it remotely possible. But please. Be my guest. Burn your precious man of straw!
Here, I will even help
Quote:
Assuming that they could invest ALL their money from this into a boat and that they were getting paid the market value for the harvested abalone rather than offloading them to a middleman for a percentage cut or consuming them themselves. Because we all know that desperate, poor people are able to use all that spare money they have...
Yes, ignore the argument that they may in fact not be that desperately poor. Ignore the fact that one can buy an inflatable raft for as little as oh... lets see... that is around 8 Rand to the Dollar, looking at classified ads... OK. that is three four man rubber boats for about 3000 Rand. Split among 12 men, 31.25 USD. Lets assume that they are getting 10% of the market value per lb of abalone meat. Oh what the fuck am I doing? Why fucking bother arguing this point with you when I can pull up news stories about how amazingly lucrative abalone poaching is in S. Africa.
http://www.nytimes.com/2006/11/03/world ... alone.htmlThe article is a wee long, but here are some tasty bits.
Quote:
“We just take a small amount, maybe five kilos — just enough to survive,” Mr. Crouse said sorrowfully. “Just enough for the wife and kids.”
Five kilos a trip eh? At 25 pounds a kilo
Quote:
Standing on the beach in his wetsuit, beside a beat-up sedan with more rust than Joe Namath’s throwing arm, he paints a convincing portrait of destitution. Or he does until Inspector Sandor Nagy of the South African Police Service observes that his real car is a hopped-up Volkswagen with a top-of-the-line engine. The rust bucket, the inspector says, is a throwaway, a painless loss should the police seize it.
“They all say that,” Inspector Nagy said of Mr. Crouse’s protestations. “But they all drive BMWs. Look at the cars they’re driving and the life they’re living. I don’t think it’s for the family.”
They all fucking say it...
http://www.servamus.co.za/index.php?opt ... view&id=72Quote:
Abalone poaching is an extremely lucrative business, and a large abalone can sell for hundreds of rands. According to Johan Erasmus of MCM, divers usually get paid R280 - R300/kg of shucked abalone, which is usually only three sized abalone. In just one night of successful poaching, divers could earn hundreds of thousands of rands. Buyers pay up to R600 for one 500 g can of processed meat. Poachers with oxygen tanks can stay below the water longer and can take out up to 40 kg each in one shift.
Yeah, what was that about dirt poor? Go fuck yourself.
FAQ
Search
Register
Login
