Vagueness and the Aftermath - A sporadic diary

[nirvana]

Don't you think that capitalism is like the modern day version of natural selection or survival of the fittest or something Glen?


I don't really understand how it works but I'm sure there are still fat-cats in communist countries. They're just fewer and fatter.

I tend to think of the communist fat cats as the most efficient capitalists, concentrating what wealth there is in even fewer hands, but as we've seen, ultimately unsustainable because people eventually say no.

I have very mixed feelings about this whole subject and not even close to being a kind of authority. But, my opinion is that capitalism gets enough of us onside (unlike communism) with cushy lives that, for all our posturing, we are greedy enough, to watch millions starve and die quite easily really.

It is a kind of natural selection I guess but OTOH that means I have to accept that people like George Bush and his family are more evolved than me - hard to bear I also have to think that, by an accident of birth, I'm 'fitter' than a bunch of other people around the world.

[RED-DOG]

Don't you think that capitalism is like the modern day version of natural selection or survival of the fittest or something Glen?


I don't really understand how it works but I'm sure there are still fat-cats in communist countries. They're just fewer and fatter.

I tend to think of the communist fat cats as the most efficient capitalists, concentrating what wealth there is in even fewer hands, but as we've seen, ultimately unsustainable because people eventually say no.

I have very mixed feelings about this whole subject and not even close to being a kind of authority. But, my opinion is that capitalism gets enough of us onside (unlike communism) with cushy lives that, for all our posturing, we are greedy enough, to watch millions starve and die quite easily really.

It is a kind of natural selection I guess but OTOH that means I have to accept that people like George Bush and his family are more evolved than me - hard to bear I also have to think that, by an accident of birth, I'm 'fitter' than a bunch of other people around the world.

Hmm... Good points well made. It is a fascinating subject though.

Someone said that if all the wealth in the world was evenly distributed, within 5 years the rich would be rich again and the poor would be poor again.

Someone else said that if all the worlds problems were thrown into a big heap and we were all instructed to take an equal share, most people would rather keep the ones they have already.


I had to google OTOH by the way. That's three times from four posts. WP.

[RED-DOG]

I'm still at war with my unruly stone.

Since I lost my weight I've allowed a stone to creep back on and I can't seem to shift it.

Last year, when I was in the groove, I was dropping a pound or more every couple of days, but I just can't seem to get any momentum going this time. I'm excercising well, it's the eating I'm struggling with. I shed a couple of lbs and then fall off the wagon and go on a sort of food binging bender.

I was soo looking forward to arriving at Christmas a tad underweight this year.

Must try harder.

[rex008]

US National Debt.

http://www.usdebtclock.org/

Can someone explain it to me?

Who do they owe the money to?

Governments sell bonds to whoever; banks, other countries, people, pension funds, insurance companies, etc. They pay interest on those bonds, and after x years (x = 1, 5, 10, 25, infinite and several in between), they buy them back at face value. They buy them back by issuing new bonds, usually. When they issue new bonds, they will have to pay whatever interest the market will take them at - too low and they won't sell them. There might be an auction to set the interest rate.

So how does the debit ever get paid off?  Surely they must have a plan?

Ha.

And thrice Ha.

The general plan is to leave it to the next political party to sort out. That's pretty much it. And that's why most of Europe, and indeed the US, are in so much trouble.

As a last resort, get the central bank of the country concerned to print money, which devalues what money there is, including the debt. Use the printed money to pay off the debt. Leave someone else to worry about the rampant inflation.

Which would be fine (apart from aforesaid rampant inflation), except the European Central Bank isn't allowed to print more money. So the failsafe of last resort is non-existent for the Euro.

Bloody messy, isn't it?

[RED-DOG]

US National Debt.

http://www.usdebtclock.org/

Can someone explain it to me?

Who do they owe the money to?

Governments sell bonds to whoever; banks, other countries, people, pension funds, insurance companies, etc. They pay interest on those bonds, and after x years (x = 1, 5, 10, 25, infinite and several in between), they buy them back at face value. They buy them back by issuing new bonds, usually. When they issue new bonds, they will have to pay whatever interest the market will take them at - too low and they won't sell them. There might be an auction to set the interest rate.

So how does the debit ever get paid off?  Surely they must have a plan?

Ha.

And thrice Ha.

The general plan is to leave it to the next political party to sort out. That's pretty much it. And that's why most of Europe, and indeed the US, are in so much trouble.

As a last resort, get the central bank of the country concerned to print money, which devalues what money there is, including the debt. Use the printed money to pay off the debt. Leave someone else to worry about the rampant inflation.

Which would be fine (apart from aforesaid rampant inflation), except the European Central Bank isn't allowed to print more money. So the failsafe of last resort is non-existent for the Euro.

Bloody messy, isn't it?

Wanna swap that hat for this chicken?

[smashedagain]

I've been watching The Young Apprentice on BBC1.

I'm not really much into this type of cannon fodder TV, but a have to grudgingly admit, it is rather splendid viewing.

That girl who got sacked last night. She brought it on herself. Fancy taking two strong candidates like those back into the boardroom?



Also.....

Do you find this lad as irritating as I do?




And who do you think he looks like? Bridie says Beethoven, I say Gordon Brown.

I've done a complete U turn. I thought James was entertaining, engaging and efficient this week.

The team leader bint Heya should have gone IMO, But then again, that Lewis was a bit of a Herbert.

in the recent light of Toms  out bursts i was devestated and deeply offended by this remark and cant believe in the 21st century people can get away with being Herbertist. i did report to moderators but obv they have a back log of Toms stuff to deal with

[RED-DOG]

Ghey.

[smashedagain]

 

[typhoon13]

Tom

BIO SKY156 Tonight

A gypsey life for me

Ggpsies  got talent contest.

Should be interesting.

[Karabiner]

Ghey.

Steady on or you'll have the tail-gunners' action-group sabre-rattling again.

[nirvana]

Ghey.

Steady on or you'll have the tail-gunners' action-group sabre-rattling again.

Couldn't help lol at this. Outrageous, un PC and a euphemism I haven't heard before, I demand a 2 hour ban -  FACT

[RED-DOG]

Tom

BIO SKY156 Tonight

A gypsey life for me

Ggpsies  got talent contest.

Should be interesting.

I'm scared to watch it Trev, I really am.

[doogan]

here's a photo from my kayak Red, got my fishing rod out and a beer just off of new milton

[doogan]

A new tv show centred around the Gypsy community trying to show a broader view than mbfgw, starts  Tuesday 15th Dec, on Bio channel (sky 156).

http://www.thebiographychannel.co.uk/shows/a-gypsy-life-for-me.html;jsessionid=E1579FF0A43703F39D47FBEAA2AB15CF?origin=hpcaro%26ps=1

I f you watch it I would like a review.

Coming in November to Bio®, a new 8-part series following the lives of Gypsies and Travellers over the summer of 2011. A Gypsy Life For Me will follow key characters and events from the travelling community with exclusive access to some of the most colourful and entertaining aspects of Gypsy life.

Bio has got together with the traveller community to find out how they would like to celebrate their way of life, giving them the opportunity to tell their stories. We will be spending the next few months meeting a whole host of colourful Traveller and Gypsy characters and finding out how they cope with the prejudices and stereotypes many of them face through their everyday life.

We have been given unprecedented access to Travellers Got Talent, the community’s annual talent contest. Jake Bowers, a Romany journalist and the contest’s promoter, hopes this will overcome negative stereotypes to reveal a nation that has survived for a thousand years. He says:

“By throwing open the doors…we will be revealing the tales and talents of those determined to follow in the footsteps of other famous performers with Gypsy heritage such as Charlie Chaplin, Cher Lloyd, Bob Hoskins and the Gypsy Kings.”

did you watch this at all Red? im just watching now

[RED-DOG]

Yes I watched it.

Actually, it wasn't as bad as I feared it might be, but it's difficult for me to be objective with my leg hanging off...