All Posts by nurgles

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Originally posted by declaredemer

Prices are high in the United States for three reasons:

[1]Inelastic demand (no matter what price is set, people often "need" drugs);
[2]Americans pay for the R&D costs for the rest of the world; and
[3]The United States government neither negotiates nor controls the prices (as virtually every other developed country does).

This is what allows drugs to be sold cheaply in countries where the government imposes price ceilings and very expensively in the USA, where no ceilings exist.

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[1] a matter of perception, not need. That perception is often the outcome of well funded advertising, misinformation, and poorly represented alternatives.

[2] corporations are not making a loss by selling outside the USA. They are profiting, those profits cover some of those R&D costs as well as shareholder returns.

[3] no they leave cost up to the consumers. The consumers are willing to pay these costs. How is this Canadas fault?

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Originally posted by declaredemer
USA Pays the R&D Costs

You could have made the connection that everything sold in Canada is a profit, though a nominal one, because the costs of research and development are primarily paid by United State citizens.
 

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I return to the point that some money is made by selling to the Canadians, you seem to think they have no right to say, "We will buy your product, allowing you a profit, but not a large one, you can choose to not sell here if you wish".

This seems entirely fair to me, the company is doing what it should, making a profit where-ever it can, no matter the margin.

The reason then that the costs of research and development are primarily paid by United State citizens is because they supply the bulk of the profit.

A while back I was chatting to a guy at the finance unit of Novartis Switzerland, he said something that I found interesting. A drug is sold in a country at the rate that we believe the country can support.

The manufacture costs are minimal once the production is up and running. This means that you can profit by selling the drug almost anywhere. The volume of low mark up sales make up a bulk profit. Sure a large amount of these profits go back into R&D, but some goes into share dividends etc.

So the fact is that selling the drugs to Canadians, not only profits the company but also assist in recovering R&D costs.

The company can choose to not sell to Canada, and this will happen if there is only a financial loss. The company would not survive on that kind of charity.

Hopefully that is clear.

Now what I don’t understand is why Americans choose to pay such high prices. There is no-one forcing them to is there? They could choose to take a cheaper medication (possibly only 90% as effective).

If the Americans refuse to buy the product due to it's expense, then the company would have to address low profit margin sales elsewhere because total costs are no longer being covered. So Canadians would pay more or not receive the product.

At no stage is Canada forcing a US company to make a loss or the US citizens to buy specific products.

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Originally posted by declaredemer

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Originally posted by nurgles
 
So there is a profit component when selling for CAN$5, yes? just not as substantial a component as when selling to Americans for US$50+?
Basically, the company has a choice, it can not sell to Canada and make make no money, or it can sell to Canada but still make some money?
That seems like a pretty simple choice.

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It depends on the drug. 
 
Canadian government will say, you cannot sell Celebrex unless your price Lipitor lower.
It might make a nominal profit on Celebrex and a loss on Lipitor. 
All the costs associated with R&D, however, are passed onto the American citizen.

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So with their total sales in Canada they still make a profit? or are they incompetent?

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Originally posted by declaredemer

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Originally posted by nurgles

 

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Originally posted by declaredemer
Do you know what I mean by how American citizens subsidize the R&D costs for Canada, and if so how?

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I don't that's for sure.
If you include R&D cost in you sales and are making a loss then you should go out of business.
Don't sell where you are making a loss.

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It is not that simple, but I will try to simplify it.  It is a good question, though, overall.
 
Pfizer will have a portfolio of drugs, and the significant costs of drugs is not the tablet (itself) but the costs associated with research and development.  Let's say it cost Pfizer a million dollars to create Lipitor (the largest selling drug in the world).  Canada might say, hey, we will only allow you to sell Lipitor to us at a cost of 5 dollars a pill.  OK, Pfizer says, then sells Lipitor in the United States at 50 dollars a pill + to ensure that it makes not only a profit but recoups its costs of research of development.
 
The cheaper it is sold in Canada, the more expensive it will be in the United States.  It is more complex than that, but that is how it works.

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So there is a profit component when selling for CAN$5, yes? just not as substantial a component as when selling to Americans for US$50+?

Basically, the company has a choice, it can not sell to Canada and make make no money, or it can sell to Canada but still make some money?

That seems like a pretty simple choice.

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Originally posted by declaredemer
Do you know what I mean by how American citizens subsidize the R&D costs for Canada, and if so how?

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I don't that's for sure.

If you include R&D cost in you sales and are making a loss then you should go out of business.

Don't sell where you are making a loss.

[quote]Originally posted by declaredemer
[b]

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Originally posted by nurgles

I am curious, are American pharma companies making a loss or or a profit in Canada?
If they are making a loss why are they selling to them? Isn't that just bad business?
 

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So they are profitable sales or not? It seems you are saying that R&D costs are not included in the costing from the drugs, so the company is failing its shareholders, yes?

I am curious, are American pharma companies making a loss or or a profit in Canada?

If they are making a loss why are they selling to them? Isn't that just bad business?

1) What is it that's fun for you in EVE ?

To be challenged with a depth and complexity so deap i will be interested fr years.

How long before a newb can get to that  kind of fun ? Day 1.

2) Have they made the learning curve/tutorial any easier for a newb to get their hands around and learn the game ?

Hell yes. You start with a shorter, more interesting tute. you start with about ten times the starting skill points that i started with. there is a lot more help menus. There is also factional Warfare so that early characters can get into the pew pew PvP very quickly.

3)How has the new parch affected the game for the experienced...AND the new players ?

This expansion is shaping up to clear the lag a fair bit, will be nice when a new patch or two comes out. Mostly this expansion doesn't have a huge amount more for starting characters. The modified skill points, improved tutorials and context based help have all been added recently but not in the QR expansion.

4) What does EVE bring to the players desktop that other mmog might not ?

Game developers that have stuck to their vision of the game they want to see, not a game that has mass market appeal. A game focused in a persistent world, with single server and PvP in all aspects of activity.

5) Given the steep learning curve ...are there and really good guides to help a  new player play his character development and shape plans for early game play ?
 
There are guides you will find written both by players and CCP. About shaping plans for early gameplay, well, it's a sand box and self guided learning and direction is rewarded.

When in doubt ask people, it is a MMO so there are plenty of nice social people who will talk to you, although, i shouldn't have to say, not everyone wants to be your friend.

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Originally posted by batolemaeus

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Originally posted by Biohazard931
I see. Is there anything Im missing? because I mean I could just look at tutorials instead of a manual or whatever. So... why hasnt an mmo thats been out for ages been givin a box for the past few years?

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Because ccp had no publisher. They published it on their own via download.

A box will be available in march (again), because they are cooperating with atari.

And yes, create a trial, enjoy 14d, then upgrade the account. That's all you have to do, everybody has the same client.

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Also note that there is no box for the expansions, they are freely added for all subscribers.

On topic, I have no problem at all with the legitimate GTC trading for isk.

Actually i like it as an example of harm minimization. By allowing a regulated mechanism, CCP gets the money someone pays for isk. The isk buyer does not get his credit card details spammed across the internet, have a keylogger installed by the crims that sell isk and the Isk sellers get to steal less isk from players.

It also allows the player base to have people who work for a living still play with some shineys as the grid for isk does not have to be done by everyone.

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Originally posted by Elsabolts
Meathead got to remember this is a busniess and the bean counters and bottom line will dictate in the end.

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and you still don't understand that by retaining the integrity of a business model that centers around being unique, different with slow growth, not a boom/bust model you can still grow as a company.

what you want is not commonsense at all, it a good way to ruin everything about eve that is attractive in the long term.

the reason that the game ranks so highly is that it chooses to be different from the bulk of what MMOs do and then chooses to do it well.

The sandbox part is very real, the game is boring if you only do PvE content. While the PvE portion has been and will be expanded on, it is not the point of the game.

If you are finding it boring, do some research in a gameplay area that interests you, if that is only PvE content then you will probably quit after a few months. The game has a huge amount of depth to explore.

I find the game very interesting, so don't find it boring. sure it can be dull and tedious at times, but i can always be looking at something new (even if that is recent changes in the market).

The PvP is very exciting because the outcome matters. The harsh loss of your ship, rigs, modules (possibly partially recoverable), and maybe implants mean that you have something to loose. Then there is the territorial warfare aspects, which involve a lot of diplomacy and people management.

there is a free trial, give it a go, but don't expect it to spoon feed you content, direction, or be like fps action game.

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Originally posted by Rhoklaw
Why you feel a game has to allow ganking, no wait, why you feel a game has to promote ganking in order to be a viable PvP game is beyond me.
MMO's are for entertainment and trust me, new players are not entertain by veterans and high level players kicking the crap out of them. Well, maybe the first time, but consistant harassment and badgering over a week long period gets old.

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so you define EvE as promoting the ganking of noobs by vets and that harassing noobs is encoraged.

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Originally posted by Rhoklaw
I never said Eve was a bad game, just somewhat flawed towards new players and "I" encountered a potty mouth community. Who cares if it's rampant or not, it still happened, so please, don't argue and just accept the fact I don't think Eve is rookie friendly.

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i bolded the bit here that shows your determined ignorance.

you don't want to know of any alternative from your experience and you don't want to learn how to avoid being ganked.

Ok, I can accept the argument that you want to tell new players that being ganked is possible but only if you follow it it up with "and i was not interested in finding out how to avoid it". Show new or prospective players that you are not going to play the game because you are not interested in finding out how to.

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Originally posted by Elsabolts
I understand busniess and EvE is a busniess, if it is run like one then you will see a new server without the pvp in it. Not my call but it would be a good busniess one.

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yep it is a business, however the market they sell to is not the one you think they should.

The point of eve is a single server centered around PvP in order to keep an in game economy flowing.

From the way you have posted so far i am not sure you will listen to me because i am one of those elitist high skill point scumbags, having played now for over 3 years. Although, i have recently (one year ago, now) started a mining alt from scratch to see what the mining part of the game is like.

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Originally posted by Rhoklaw
Most of you are probably right about just ignoring him, but when someone plays a game and does nothing but annoy you, day after day, it really gets old. No, this does not happen in other games because its not hard to pack up and move somewhere else. Granted, I could just leave my stuff behind, but then I'll have crap all over the universe while trying to dodge Mr. Noobkiller.

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There was a very simple statement i saw in an ore thief's Bio "Jet can mining is free ore". Basically, jet cans were never expected to be used that way, they are and it has not been considered an exploit. However they are not secure. This has lead to players making the profession of ore thief. This to me is the advantage of a sand box game, things develop in unexpected ways.

When I set up a mining character, when ever i jet can mined i assumed there would be an tax on my ore to ore thieves. In the high traffic areas, I did indeed lose some ore. After chatting with the thief a bit, it seemed he was making good money, so good luck to him as everyone needs turn some isk.

The funny thing was, with just a little initiative i moved out of the starter, high traffic areas, and found some low traffic empire space. My jet cans never got flipped again. Although if they did, it still would have been a 'lower tax' than i was paying in the high traffic areas. Eventually i got up to hulk and of course never jet canned ever again.

So your assumption that 'Mr Noobkiller' would follow you is simply false. He has his income where there is a lot of foolish miners.

About moving, it takes a only few hours to pick up a basic industrial. Moving becomes very easy.

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Originally posted by Rhoklaw
I don't care that I lost my ship, I can mine the cost back in an hour. It's that this guy is relentless and does nothing else. I'm sure its absolutely normal in Eve, since a lot of you folks have titled me a Drama Queen.

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i think most peoples problems with your view is that you show no interest in learning or adapting, and quite frankly you don't know enough about the game to to make broad sweeping statements about the game itself. so you appear ignorant, and unwilling to learn more, while being happy to advise new players about the game.

The unwilling to adapt and learn part really bugs long term eve players because to them, every new problem is challenge to be faced and defeated.

Also, if someone is successful at a task in Eve, you can learn from them. Take the ore thief, he is doing this year after year because it is a successful tactic. He can earn money, he keeps busy, and he gets the occasional PvP. There are also people out there trying to bait him into a fight, because they prey on ore thieves. That is actually a pretty fun game to play, for him that is, not my choice but it takes all types.

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Originally posted by Rhoklaw
However, from a new players prespective, your attitude is the exact reason players do leave. Eve is for PvP, I understand that, but with no area to get your feet wet, NEW PLAYERS may learn all to quickly just how harsh the game is and quit before they've even started.

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The new player areas do have some harsh lessons, "don't take what isn't yours", "don't be surprised if you leave your ore unsecured it will be stolen", what are 'kill rights", etc.

if these kind of common sense things make you quit then Eve isn't for you. If these things make you think for ways around the situation, then the game is for you.

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Originally posted by Rhoklaw
I got what I deserved, cause I attacked some guy with no life. I'm just trying to let new players, like myself, know what exactly goes on in Eve. I can't say it happens to everyone but the guy that was bothering me was the same guy that made me quit 2 years ago. Congrats to him and his noob destroying abilities, but thats just a deterant to Eve getting any new subscriptions, oh well.

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You see I admire the ore thief. Strangely enough, so does CCP. Yes the company is trying to get new subscribers all the time, but the product they sell is centered around PvP in a single server, a virtual world, and they want consequence to be harsh. They want the game to be a challenge, even for the new players. There is actually a market out there for players who want to be challenged. It seems you don't, that's OK, i am sure there is a game for you out there.

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Originally posted by Tuor7

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Originally posted by Copeland

You are confused, legal marriages have nothing.. nothing at all.. to do with religion. Legal marriages ARE civil union. Some people however choose to have that marriage performed with religious overtones. Others choose it to be done only under it's legal status by a judge.

I think you've been drinking the kool-aid a little too much at church.

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And I think you should be less condesending before you seriously start to annoy me.

I never spoke of "legal marriage" as such. I referred to "marriage". When you're talking to someone and they say, "I'm married", most of us make the default assuption that the person means they were married in a church or some analogous location and are thus legally *and* religiously married. Yes, we all know that isn't necessarily true, but it's usually true.

One of the main reasons that the idea of homosexuals getting married is met with such resistance is BECAUSE "marriage" has huge religious overtones, and has for centuries. By explicitly taking all religious aspects out a legal/financial contract, the idea of including homosexuals in receiving many of those benefits becomes far more palatable to many people, including myself.

And I don't go to church, let alone drink cool-aid.

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so where can i hand in my marriage certificate? i am a white male and my wife, oops sorry, my civil partner is is a white female but i certainly do not want to say that i am religious or have people make that assumption.

unfortunately, i have a legal document that is called a marriage certificate.

OK, how is this for a law, everyone returns their marriage certificates. they then get a notice of civil union. And if they wish, a priest can give them a new marriage certificate, a document with no legal powers.

then every use of of the word, marriage, wife, husband that only refer to a religious structure must be changed to civil union and civil partner. No government document can now refer to a married couple, or husband or wife.

would this work? that is what it seems you are asking for because you define marriage as a holy union and expect a minority to quit asking for it. But with the separation of church and state means all of the legislature needs to remove such religious dogma from their documents.

what complete waste of time and money. not to mention the outcry over the hand back of the inappropriately named "Marriage Certificates".

just get over the fact that marriage means different things to different people.

To the OP, damn it makes me sad to here that your family has turned their back on you. That the community that told you about love, compassion and about personal sacrifice has turned their backs on you. SO may are distressed to see these turn of events, but we do believe that there is a fight to be fought and we won't give up.

it seems you like the solo play aspect and looking towards trade/smuggling for returns. if you want a little bit of focus/direction at the beginning, after you have finished the tutorials, focus on understanding the market. then do some trading, day trading etc.

when you activate your account get straight into an industrial ship and do some bulk hauling.

initially just stick to high sec until you understand the risks of low sec, and how to minimize them by checking recent statistics on the map and ship fits.

If you want some missions then check out the courier type agents.

There is plenty to do, so that you can learn what to trade and where along with safe delivery.

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Originally posted by Lobotomist
Tempting....but 6+ months training ... wow
Although possibility of shuttle trading sounds tempting.
 
In a way , my eyes are directed at Jumpgate Evolution down the road. And until i get the EVE skills , JGE will be on release. And than i will be split ...
But than again EVE is so much more complex game....
 
Any word on when Ambulation ( walking in stations) is set for release ?
 
 

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you will have established markets that you will have already developed, and you will taking you trade to new heights.

a quick look at a plan for an alt just focusing on getting blocade runner, covert ops cloak and T2 10 MN MWD, gave a training time of about two months.

throw in t2 frigs as an interceper and the covert ops frigs are good for small high value items takes it up to 3 months.

basic trade skills take about a week.

add another 3 months for support skills and i would say you be right to go.

the thing is that you could be trading small high value items in a shuttle through high sec much earlier than that. it is a humble start but it is a start on your plan for null sec blockade running.

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Originally posted by John.A.Zoid
See I have a problem with this because all it does is promotes people to buy isk........ all this means is the people with the most money in real life are the people who are top in EVE. If they lose a ship then it's fine they buy cards and sell them in game. They need to ditch this and report any weird transactions like the people who get a clean 500 million ot 1000 million from a guy name ddslkghjgf.
 
 

this reminded me of this from here
http://www.mmorpg.com/discussion2.cfm/post/2358981#2358981

Originally posted by Kyleran
Aw come on, only one? OK, here goes.... (but I'll cheat a little bit)
Due to the unique skill training system that happens at a constant rate (which levels the play