MEL - Meridian Energy

[Joshuatree]

Out of respect for those that have (for reasons best known to themselves) decided to invest in this company I won't comment further in this thread.[/QUOTE]

We are all addicted to something eh Rog

[Joshuatree]

You paint a broad brush Snoopy.Ther are always exceptional circumstances and im sorry to see you using the example re the sickness beneficiary who died( i will take your word on that). So many issues there. Of course people die in casinos just like any where else, prob a few heart attacks .

The greens and labour will get your vote too if you believe what you say in your isolating way, well done.Im considering it too.

"There is no advantage long term for a casino to cajole more money out of a customer then they can afford to lose" You are trying to be funny i take it. Thats how they make their money Snoopy. Many people cant afford to lose it, they are desperately seeking away to pay off their credit cards their loan shark , their debts , bills, rent etc. Some know the odds are stacked against them but it doesn't stop their addiction. Heard of Gamblers Anonymous? When one is in a hole one does desperate things.

I know of a guy who blows most of his money at casinos. His parents live in an impoverished country but they send any paltry savings to their son in nz to make a better life for himself and maybe them later. he gets more and more desperate daily and tells them porkies re his restaurant is getting better and better and good times are just around the corner. He is just a chef not a business owner..

Biker. Winners and Losers eh , Black and White; yeah... right. Wisdom and compassion comes with seeing the many shades of gray.

Roger You're right ,the Brokers are the winners


One could invest in Rothmans and say "Hey nobody is making that person suck on a gasper".... Remember when they sponsored sports . Whos got a familiar sitting out in the porch having a ciggy right now? They are rational and sensible and informed yet have re one chance in 2 of dying from it let alone the poor health. Some gamble. Many orgs trying to help them and many money making orgs as well.

You could also invest in a weapons company and say 'hey i didnt pull the trigger".

Ethics and morals and making money mmmhhhh.

[RTM]

Yes....its amazing how we can justify our decisions when money or self interest is at stake........But interesting twist to turn it around on the power co's just the same.

[RTM]

Yes....its amazing how we can justify our decisions when money or self interest is at stake........But interesting twist to turn it around on the power co's just the same.

[False Profit]

We heard you the first time but some things are worth saying twice

[Bjauck]

Ethics and morals and making money mmmhhhh.

It is all part of a sliding scale and your own opinion. You could choose not to invest in Grumman, BAe et al. because they make arms, SKC because of gambling, BAT because of cancer, MOA because of drunkeness. Don't forget Cadburys/Kraft because of high fat, sugar and diabetes. Then you have car and plane manufacturers and oil companies and the consequences of pollution and global warming....etc.etc. Just where does one draw the line in the shifting sands? Do we also need warning notices on kitchen knives advising that they can cause death?

[Snoopy]

You paint a broad brush Snoopy. There are always exceptional circumstances and i'm sorry to see you using the example re the sickness beneficiary who died (i will take your word on that). So many issues there. Of course people die in casinos just like any where else, prob a few heart attacks.

For Meridian Joshuatree, there is nothing 'exceptional' about charging very high prices relative to the cost of generation. They do it every day to every customer.

"There is no advantage long term for a casino to cajole more money out of a customer then they can afford to lose"
You are trying to be funny i take it. That's how they make their money Snoopy.

Having a business model based on emptying someone else's bank account is not sustainable Joshuatree. Once you take all someones money they are no longer a viable customer. How could any business survive on that kind of strategy?

Many people cant afford to lose it, they are desperately seeking away to pay off their credit cards their loan shark , their debts , bills, rent etc. Some know the odds are stacked against them but it doesn't stop their addiction. Heard of Gamblers Anonymous? When one is in a hole one does desperate things.

If your argument is that all gambling should be banned then, well I accept the integrity of your position. However, if you accept that gambling is legal and for some people at least a little flutter counts as entertainment, then the argument shifts as to how gambling in NZ should be administered.

Sky City has a program where problem gamblers can ban themselves and have it enforced by Sky City security. Sky City train their staff to watch for the signs of problem gamblers. There are now electronic aids on the pokies at Sky City, a pacific first I believe, so that customer have a visual record of how much they have fed into a given machine. I mean, short of providing a staff member to hold every customers hand, what more would you expect Sky City to do? I accept that there will always be problem gamblers that slip through the cracks. But surely the worst cracks are those uncontrolled pokie machines in pubs and clubs, the completely uncontrolled horse racing industry or dare I say it those lotto outlets accepting the last $20 that should have gone towards the power bill?

I believe there is a sinking lid policy on pokies in Auckland. So you may find that when the expanded casino is finished, you have less overall pokies in Auckland and more of those under the control of a responsible host like Sky City. Short of banning all casinos and pokies I know, but is this not a move in the right direction?

I know of a guy who blows most of his money at casinos. His parents live in an impoverished country but they send any paltry savings to their son in nz to make a better life for himself and maybe them later. he gets more and more desperate daily and tells them porkies re his restaurant is getting better and better and good times are just around the corner. He is just a chef not a business owner..

That just shows the foolishness of the parents don't you think? Sending a young person to a foreign country where they may be socially isolated? What sort of behaviour do they expect?

One could invest in Rothmans and say "Hey nobody is making that person suck on a gasper".... Remember when they sponsored sports . Whos got a familiar sitting out in the porch having a ciggy right now? They are rational and sensible and informed yet have re one chance in 2 of dying from it let alone the poor health.

Not a fair comparison. Tobacco is both mentally and physically addictive. Gambling is not. Every cigarette has a negative consequence. Every bet does not.

SNOOPY

[Stranger_Danger]

I am not sure sure Meridian or any of the power companies are necessarily 'ethical' or 'moral'. Remember the sickness beneficiary in Auckland who died because her power,and hence oxygen machine were switched off? And what about the poor who freeze in their houses in winter and the accompanying sicknesses that result all because the greedy power companies charge so much for power, that in Meridian's case has no fuel cost?

However, something like a casino is entirely voluntary to enter. And SKC for example,have people and procedures to deal with problem gamblers. What other form of gambling can you say that about? There is no advantage long term for a casino to cajoule more money out of a customer then they can afford to lose. As far as I am aware, no-one has died on a casino floor at any Sky City establishment.

SNOOPY

That is a pretty rose tinted glasses view.

Talk to anyone dealing with suicides, and they'll count gambling addicts amongst their numbers.

I have never heard of anyone topping themselves over a power bill.

[blackcap]

That is a pretty rose tinted glasses view.

Talk to anyone dealing with suicides, and they'll count gambling addicts amongst their numbers.

I have never heard of anyone topping themselves over a power bill.

So you would ban all gambling? TAB, LOTTO, KENO etc? The point Snoopy was making was that its not SKC that is the problem. It is the way gambling is administered. Pokies in pubs or places unregulated to a lot more damage than sky city.

[QOH]

Gee they have already taken the money out of my account to pay for Meridian shares, I wasn't expecting it to be taken out until next Thursday. Perhaps they are worried people will change their mind.