Vegas & The Aftermath - Diary

[tikay]

Interesting company I had never heard of before today "bigger than ebay and amazon combined"

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alibaba_Group

You must have read my mind, I just wrote a piece about that next door, hence I have the links readily to hand.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alibaba_Group


http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jack_Ma

I was staggered to hear the numbers on Radio 4 this morning.

More daily site visitors per day than Amazon & e-Bay combined.

What?

The business seems to be valued at over $100 billion.

Wow.

It employs 22,000 staff.

And I had never heard of them.

Jeez, there's a whole big world out there.

Here's Mr Ma. Must be worth a bob or two, eh? I've enlisted him in my Business Hall of Fame "Most Admired", 3 spots behind Michael O'Leary.

Looks happy enough, right?

[tikay]

Oh, & here's the site.


http://www.alibaba.com/

[Doobs]

Oh, & here's the site.


http://www.alibaba.com/

took me about one click to see sex products at the top of the page, one click later and I saw amusement parks.  Some range of products that. 

You really can buy a roller coaster there.

[tikay]

Oh, & here's the site.


http://www.alibaba.com/

took me about one click to see sex products at the top of the page, one click later and I saw amusement parks.  Some range of products that. 

You really can buy a roller coaster there.

You can buy a bus there, too.

"Very safety".

http://www.alibaba.com/catalogs/products/CID1227

[tikay]

Rod Paradise or booder could buy their motorbike there.


http://www.alibaba.com/Motorcycles_pid1203?spm=5386.1135189.1998095634.11&tracelog=autoscymflm081107

[vegaslover]

Also interesting how all three sites are linked.
If you are a shop or wholesaler on ebay/amazon you will likely have used alibaba to purchase your wholesale products

[tikay]

[tikay]

Click to see full-size image.

[MANTIS01]

For the most part, it's good sensible debate, but it all got a bit tit for tat silly, & I can't see that anything on there will change anyone's mind.

Point of order. Only if one sees discussion and debate as a zero sum game does it matter a jot whether anyone's mind changes as a result of the debate.

A debate is pretty much always win-win irrespective of perceptions at the time. We learn even when we don't think we're learning by hearing other opinions and the vast majority of any debate/discussion is about people expressing their opinions - in broad terms, the acquired learning and the catharsis of expressing an opinion far outweigh the benefits we can gain by measurement of the debate in terms of whether we think we changed anyone's mind.

Obv agree about the implied need for civility all round.

SUSTAINED.

Mitigation M'Lord?

There's an ocean of difference between a good debate, & a shouty-wouty argument. Love debate, but I doubt I've ever learned a damn thing from reading or listening to an argument, except for how stupid people are if they think shouting at me & abusing me will ever change my mind.

We agree, obv, on civility being the oil that makes for good debate.

For the record, I have read EVERY post on that thread. I don't think I have anything fresh, new or different to contribute though, & I certainly don't plan to allow some shouty-wouty bloke to get in my face.

Now I have your attention, on your rare & occasional visit to this Diary, something I'd like to ask you. 

You & I have a few things in common. Both been in business most of our lives, & that largely involves good social interaction, & the ability to reason with people & put out negative fires, & help get people to rub along well. We are of similar age, too.

In my case, with every passing day, & having spent most of my business life dealing with painful decisions, aggro, awkward spots, & general hassle, I just want peace & quiet now, no aggro, just a smooth  & gentle ride into life's terminus please. "Hot" thread on blonde? Me, I make an effort NEVER to Post on them, or I do if I can find the will-power to resist. CBA with the hassle.

Whereas, you seem to still enjoy a good ruck. I don't mean that in a rude way, I'm just curious as to the mindset.

When I was a kid, & there was a fight in the playground, the cry would go up "fight fight fight" & all the kids would run to get a closer look at some poor spotty weakling getting a bloody nose. And I looked the other way, I could not bear to see the underling getting a good hiding.

I suppose I've always been aggro-averse, but I'm interested in why some people actually LOVE some aggro.

Please don't be offended by the question, its not intended to be critical, I'm just curious. *

* My first school report said exactly that. "Tony is curious". Never quite knew in what sense he mean't that.   

The mentality you take into your professional life is often much different to the one you display in your leisure time right? A poker forum on the internet is a vehicle to use in your leisure time, just like a bike. Some people ride bikes slowly and some people enjoy the reckless abandonment of flying down mountains. If an investment banker flies downhill on his mountain bike at the weekend does that mean he is a risk taker who will lose all your money during the week?

Internet wars is like playing poker, you bluff, you raise and you call. You bet to get reactions. If ur holding the nuts you don't worry about villain's feelings do you? Oh no, you simply enjoy ripping him a new arsehole. You have a semi-professional interest in Blonde and you are a hyper-sensitive guy Tikay so it's doubtful you will ever truly appreciate the fun in ripping new arseholes for the likes of celtic or kinboshi. 

[nirvana]

You & I have a few things in common. Both been in business most of our lives, & that largely involves good social interaction, & the ability to reason with people & put out negative fires, & help get people to rub along well. We are of similar age, too.

In my case, with every passing day, & having spent most of my business life dealing with painful decisions, aggro, awkward spots, & general hassle, I just want peace & quiet now, no aggro, just a smooth  & gentle ride into life's terminus please. "Hot" thread on blonde? Me, I make an effort NEVER to Post on them, or I do if I can find the will-power to resist. CBA with the hassle.

Whereas, you seem to still enjoy a good ruck. I don't mean that in a rude way, I'm just curious as to the mindset.

When I was a kid, & there was a fight in the playground, the cry would go up "fight fight fight" & all the kids would run to get a closer look at some poor spotty weakling getting a bloody nose. And I looked the other way, I could not bear to see the underling getting a good hiding.

I suppose I've always been aggro-averse, but I'm interested in why some people actually LOVE some aggro.

Please don't be offended by the question, its not intended to be critical, I'm just curious. *

* My first school report said exactly that. "Tony is curious". Never quite knew in what sense he mean't that.   

I deliberately started the quote there because the end of the first line gave me a genuine lol moment earlier today.

We are definitely different in that I love any thread with controversy that gets on the borderline of good strong debate and a certain amount of hostility. I think you see the real people at times like this rather than their presentation of themselves and I guess I just find that interesting. I love contributing and I suppose, if I think I can get a little rise out of someone I quite enjoy that too.

However, I never see it as hassle because it's not my baby and no-one is calling my baby ugly or making my baby ugly. I never see it as a ruck because even if it's all getting a bit heated I never feel like I'm actually involved in a ruck. Similarly, I bet if you asked arbb he would never think he's in a ruck even if everybody else thought he was.

There is definitely a line between getting a little rise out of people and bullying, a line between being quite direct when you express a view and being outright rude.

I detest violence and like you, would/did walk away from fights in the schoolyard - for the same reason I can't watch UFC at all. I detest bullying but don't mind causing  (I hope mild at worse) offence if making a point in an argument. If anyone pointed out to me that I had genuinely hurt their feelings or was bullying or joining in with bullies I would feel mortified and hope I would correct myself pretty quickly.

I bite my lip and say nothing about 50 times to the one time I actually say something, which is hard because I think I knowitall. Despite all I just said, I can remember occasionally thinking 'fella, you got a bit out of line there' with something I might have posted or said and will occasionally retire away for a week or two by way of re-setting my attitude. Same as I do in real life I guess.

[arbboy]

You & I have a few things in common. Both been in business most of our lives, & that largely involves good social interaction, & the ability to reason with people & put out negative fires, & help get people to rub along well. We are of similar age, too.

In my case, with every passing day, & having spent most of my business life dealing with painful decisions, aggro, awkward spots, & general hassle, I just want peace & quiet now, no aggro, just a smooth  & gentle ride into life's terminus please. "Hot" thread on blonde? Me, I make an effort NEVER to Post on them, or I do if I can find the will-power to resist. CBA with the hassle.

Whereas, you seem to still enjoy a good ruck. I don't mean that in a rude way, I'm just curious as to the mindset.

When I was a kid, & there was a fight in the playground, the cry would go up "fight fight fight" & all the kids would run to get a closer look at some poor spotty weakling getting a bloody nose. And I looked the other way, I could not bear to see the underling getting a good hiding.

I suppose I've always been aggro-averse, but I'm interested in why some people actually LOVE some aggro.

Please don't be offended by the question, its not intended to be critical, I'm just curious. *

* My first school report said exactly that. "Tony is curious". Never quite knew in what sense he mean't that.   

I deliberately started the quote there because the end of the first line gave me a genuine lol moment earlier today.

We are definitely different in that I love any thread with controversy that gets on the borderline of good strong debate and a certain amount of hostility. I think you see the real people at times like this rather than their presentation of themselves and I guess I just find that interesting. I love contributing and I suppose, if I think I can get a little rise out of someone I quite enjoy that too.

However, I never see it as hassle because it's not my baby and no-one is calling my baby ugly or making my baby ugly. I never see it as a ruck because even if it's all getting a bit heated I never feel like I'm actually involved in a ruck. Similarly, I bet if you asked arbb he would never think he's in a ruck even if everybody else thought he was.

There is definitely a line between getting a little rise out of people and bullying, a line between being quite direct when you express a view and being outright rude.

I detest violence and like you, would/did walk away from fights in the schoolyard - for the same reason I can't watch UFC at all. I detest bullying but don't mind causing  (I hope mild at worse) offence if making a point in an argument. If anyone pointed out to me that I had genuinely hurt their feelings or was bullying or joining in with bullies I would feel mortified and hope I would correct myself pretty quickly.

I bite my lip and say nothing about 50 times to the one time I actually say something, which is hard because I think I knowitall. Despite all I just said, I can remember occasionally thinking 'fella, you got a bit out of line there' with something I might have posted or said and will occasionally retire away for a week or two by way of re-setting my attitude. Same as I do in real life I guess.

I usually know i am in a ruck but, like you, quite enjoy it all and never take it personally when people have a pop at me. 

[BigAdz]

Cough...

[tikay]

Cough...

Lol, not forgotten. Been rambling. Been quite a few weeks one way and another.

[tikay]

For the most part, it's good sensible debate, but it all got a bit tit for tat silly, & I can't see that anything on there will change anyone's mind.

Point of order. Only if one sees discussion and debate as a zero sum game does it matter a jot whether anyone's mind changes as a result of the debate.

A debate is pretty much always win-win irrespective of perceptions at the time. We learn even when we don't think we're learning by hearing other opinions and the vast majority of any debate/discussion is about people expressing their opinions - in broad terms, the acquired learning and the catharsis of expressing an opinion far outweigh the benefits we can gain by measurement of the debate in terms of whether we think we changed anyone's mind.

Obv agree about the implied need for civility all round.

SUSTAINED.

Mitigation M'Lord?

There's an ocean of difference between a good debate, & a shouty-wouty argument. Love debate, but I doubt I've ever learned a damn thing from reading or listening to an argument, except for how stupid people are if they think shouting at me & abusing me will ever change my mind.

We agree, obv, on civility being the oil that makes for good debate.

For the record, I have read EVERY post on that thread. I don't think I have anything fresh, new or different to contribute though, & I certainly don't plan to allow some shouty-wouty bloke to get in my face.

Now I have your attention, on your rare & occasional visit to this Diary, something I'd like to ask you. 

You & I have a few things in common. Both been in business most of our lives, & that largely involves good social interaction, & the ability to reason with people & put out negative fires, & help get people to rub along well. We are of similar age, too.

In my case, with every passing day, & having spent most of my business life dealing with painful decisions, aggro, awkward spots, & general hassle, I just want peace & quiet now, no aggro, just a smooth  & gentle ride into life's terminus please. "Hot" thread on blonde? Me, I make an effort NEVER to Post on them, or I do if I can find the will-power to resist. CBA with the hassle.

Whereas, you seem to still enjoy a good ruck. I don't mean that in a rude way, I'm just curious as to the mindset.

When I was a kid, & there was a fight in the playground, the cry would go up "fight fight fight" & all the kids would run to get a closer look at some poor spotty weakling getting a bloody nose. And I looked the other way, I could not bear to see the underling getting a good hiding.

I suppose I've always been aggro-averse, but I'm interested in why some people actually LOVE some aggro.

Please don't be offended by the question, its not intended to be critical, I'm just curious. *

* My first school report said exactly that. "Tony is curious". Never quite knew in what sense he mean't that.   

The mentality you take into your professional life is often much different to the one you display in your leisure time right? A poker forum on the internet is a vehicle to use in your leisure time, just like a bike. Some people ride bikes slowly and some people enjoy the reckless abandonment of flying down mountains. If an investment banker flies downhill on his mountain bike at the weekend does that mean he is a risk taker who will lose all your money during the week?

Internet wars is like playing poker, you bluff, you raise and you call. You bet to get reactions. If ur holding the nuts you don't worry about villain's feelings do you? Oh no, you simply enjoy ripping him a new arsehole. You have a semi-professional interest in Blonde and you are a hyper-sensitive guy Tikay so it's doubtful you will ever truly appreciate the fun in ripping new arseholes for the likes of celtic or kinboshi. 

I love the banter, but no, I don't like seeing people being ridiculed or abused.

Sometimes people deserve it, fine, but when everyone piles in, & it becomes one-sided, everyone beating the guy up, I can't help think it's a bit much.

You remember that "Bad play rewarded" thread?

Ridic really, the bloke was bound to get beat up, quite right too. 2, 3, 4 people piled in, no problem.

But when 10, 20, 30 of them pile in, like mindless sheep just repeating what everyone else has said, no, I don't like that at all, it's all a bit unsavoury, we are human beings, not pack animals.

Do you really enjoy seeing the fella beaten up so comprehensively, even if he was a bit dumb to start such a thread?

[tikay]

You & I have a few things in common. Both been in business most of our lives, & that largely involves good social interaction, & the ability to reason with people & put out negative fires, & help get people to rub along well. We are of similar age, too.

In my case, with every passing day, & having spent most of my business life dealing with painful decisions, aggro, awkward spots, & general hassle, I just want peace & quiet now, no aggro, just a smooth  & gentle ride into life's terminus please. "Hot" thread on blonde? Me, I make an effort NEVER to Post on them, or I do if I can find the will-power to resist. CBA with the hassle.

Whereas, you seem to still enjoy a good ruck. I don't mean that in a rude way, I'm just curious as to the mindset.

When I was a kid, & there was a fight in the playground, the cry would go up "fight fight fight" & all the kids would run to get a closer look at some poor spotty weakling getting a bloody nose. And I looked the other way, I could not bear to see the underling getting a good hiding.

I suppose I've always been aggro-averse, but I'm interested in why some people actually LOVE some aggro.

Please don't be offended by the question, its not intended to be critical, I'm just curious. *

* My first school report said exactly that. "Tony is curious". Never quite knew in what sense he mean't that.   

I deliberately started the quote there because the end of the first line gave me a genuine lol moment earlier today.

We are definitely different in that I love any thread with controversy that gets on the borderline of good strong debate and a certain amount of hostility. I think you see the real people at times like this rather than their presentation of themselves and I guess I just find that interesting. I love contributing and I suppose, if I think I can get a little rise out of someone I quite enjoy that too.

However, I never see it as hassle because it's not my baby and no-one is calling my baby ugly or making my baby ugly. I never see it as a ruck because even if it's all getting a bit heated I never feel like I'm actually involved in a ruck. Similarly, I bet if you asked arbb he would never think he's in a ruck even if everybody else thought he was.

There is definitely a line between getting a little rise out of people and bullying, a line between being quite direct when you express a view and being outright rude.

I detest violence and like you, would/did walk away from fights in the schoolyard - for the same reason I can't watch UFC at all. I detest bullying but don't mind causing  (I hope mild at worse) offence if making a point in an argument. If anyone pointed out to me that I had genuinely hurt their feelings or was bullying or joining in with bullies I would feel mortified and hope I would correct myself pretty quickly.

I bite my lip and say nothing about 50 times to the one time I actually say something, which is hard because I think I knowitall. Despite all I just said, I can remember occasionally thinking 'fella, you got a bit out of line there' with something I might have posted or said and will occasionally retire away for a week or two by way of re-setting my attitude. Same as I do in real life I guess.

Good stuff, I think I understand you better now. Not that it matters a jot.....

The age thing? I honestly thought I was complimenting you, you must be, what, 6 years older than me? I've got you at early to mid seventies, no?

UFC? Ugh, me neither, I cannot bear to watch it. If you paid me £1,000 to watch a bout, I'd decline. ETTO.

Some years ago, you whooshed me with the "blonde is dying" thing, even made it your sig. I replied a few times, then realised you were just trying to get a reaction. 1-0.

Weird thing is, if you said that now, I'd just reply "+1", because it is. It goes through peaks & troughs, but I feel the current downswing might not be followed by an upswong. Blogs are dying, forums are dying, Twitter & Facebook rule.

Anyway, thanks for the reply.