I don't always agree with Steve, but on this I could not agree with Steve MORE. Open discussion of pricing is the opposite of price fixing. What forum is better for discussing pricing? Surely not the NFPA, who can't even reveal how they select new committee members. I know your warning, Mr. Caputo, is meant to protect this Forum, and respect for that. I do not perceive how Steve's comment is anywhere near the line. There need be a place to talk openly about money numerically. This is because after preserving their own reputations and salary, money is the next most important issue to management and most of their decisions.
Let in the marketplace determine where the line is. We had White House Executive Branch employees leaking free international marketing spots for a federal employee's jewelry side-hustle jewelry business. Where is the line on talking marketing and money? There has been a steady erosion of press freedoms in the last several years (with but a handful of private-source exceptions* bucking this trend ) Stifling honest debate (in particular numerical debate) is an effective way to not just paralyze a democracy, but it can pave the road to the end of civilization. Sounds extreme? Review humanities geopolitical history. Some things are worth fighting for. Freedom of numerical expression and open talk about money are worth fighting for. As far as I can see, democracy has not been doing so well lately. I respect your viewpoint Mr. Caputo. I agree with your goal: to keep the AFSA forum open. But for the advancement of accurate judgment, numbers in debate need be increased in use, not reduced. And money, money is arguably one of the most important numerical measurements we make We need more, not less, money-numbers in debate. Government regulators who are too thick to separate price fixing from our healthy debate here, need be demoted a pay grade. * Private-source exceptions to the trend of capping open, honest numerical debate: 1. Dalio at Bridgewater Hedge Funds, 2. Netflix's Reed Hasting 3. Musk, when he is not pumping and dumping DogeCoin (which I argue IS price fixing) Best of the rest of the year to all, Scot Deal Excelsior Fire Engineering gms: +420 606 872 129 > > _______________________________________________ Sprinklerforum mailing list [email protected] http://lists.firesprinkler.org/listinfo.cgi/sprinklerforum-firesprinkler.org
