Trivial, I know; but I'd really like to see a photo of him when he was a baby. Perhaps we'd have to title it "vampire kid" or chipirón.
Sunday, April 25, 2010
Lloyd Blankfein
Trivial, I know; but I'd really like to see a photo of him when he was a baby. Perhaps we'd have to title it "vampire kid" or chipirón.
Save the young
We speak of the fecklessness and selfishness of the young, but overlook the much greater selfishness of their elders. You'd think that in an ageing population and with a declining ratio between those of working age and the retired, there'd be no end of work available. Not so.
As this article from Business Insider shows, the under-25s are far worse off, financially and careerwise, than their elders. Also today, Liz Jones takes a break from reflecting on her train-wreck of a life to consider the plight of bright, aspiring youngsters in a job market that either won't give them a chance or takes them on as unpaid interns for "experience" that still won't get them any closer to earning a living afterwards.
Vampire squid? That's us.
As this article from Business Insider shows, the under-25s are far worse off, financially and careerwise, than their elders. Also today, Liz Jones takes a break from reflecting on her train-wreck of a life to consider the plight of bright, aspiring youngsters in a job market that either won't give them a chance or takes them on as unpaid interns for "experience" that still won't get them any closer to earning a living afterwards.
Vampire squid? That's us.
Bile
"All these moments will be lost, like tears in rain". I have submitted the following comments to a post on Hatfield Girl's elegant column; I hope to be wrong.
Unfortunately, the disparities of wealth in the global economy are fostering the growth of rootless business magnates, to the detriment of the social stability of developed industrial economies.
These magnates have realized (as Rockefeller did, long before) that ownership of distribution is even more powerful than ownership of the means of production; especially when it is accompanied by ownership of the means of communication, as "Chinese" Murdoch understands.
The Fourth Estate's weakness is compounded by the suborning of academia: 20,000 professional economists, of whom only 0.06% understood the significance of debt and foresaw the present crisis, act as berobed yes-men to the sultans of international trade.
Our political representatives have been exposed as venal careerists heavily incentivised to foster the acquis communautaire. In the General Election, we are offered a choice of one, in three avatars. Stick a pin in the roll of MPs and you are more likely than not to hit Lord Jim.
Once Western economies have been mined-out and markets in the East have evolved to a size capable of absorbing their own output, the East will have little further use for us and our freshly-printed toy money.
We shall also discover that, in practice, the vaunted fraternal benevolence of international Communism comes a very long way second to national self-interest and genetic similarity.
Unfortunately, the disparities of wealth in the global economy are fostering the growth of rootless business magnates, to the detriment of the social stability of developed industrial economies.
These magnates have realized (as Rockefeller did, long before) that ownership of distribution is even more powerful than ownership of the means of production; especially when it is accompanied by ownership of the means of communication, as "Chinese" Murdoch understands.
The Fourth Estate's weakness is compounded by the suborning of academia: 20,000 professional economists, of whom only 0.06% understood the significance of debt and foresaw the present crisis, act as berobed yes-men to the sultans of international trade.
Our political representatives have been exposed as venal careerists heavily incentivised to foster the acquis communautaire. In the General Election, we are offered a choice of one, in three avatars. Stick a pin in the roll of MPs and you are more likely than not to hit Lord Jim.
Once Western economies have been mined-out and markets in the East have evolved to a size capable of absorbing their own output, the East will have little further use for us and our freshly-printed toy money.
We shall also discover that, in practice, the vaunted fraternal benevolence of international Communism comes a very long way second to national self-interest and genetic similarity.
Wednesday, April 21, 2010
Wall Street vs Main Street
... one of the reasons why, when a country suffers economic problems, the latter may not be reflected in the performance of shares on that country's stock exchange (htp: Wall Street Pit).But if the fate of big business is now less closely intertwined with the good of its host country, perhaps the nature of their relationship could turn from symbiotic to parasitic.
... and down we go-ooo
I've written recently about cash being boring, but safe until inflation gets going. Now, Charles Hugh Smith thinks the tipping point may be very close:
Stockmarket fall imminent?
I've written recently about cash being boring, but safe until inflation gets going. Now, Charles Hugh Smith thinks the tipping point may be very close:
DISCLAIMER: Nothing here should be taken as personal advice, financial or otherwise. No liability is accepted for third-party content, whether incorporated in or linked to this blog.
DISCLAIMER: Nothing here should be taken as personal advice, financial or otherwise. No liability is accepted for third-party content, whether incorporated in or linked to this blog.
Tuesday, April 20, 2010
Repeal the 1832 Reform Act
I have just caught the tail end of a celebrity edition of "Who Wants
To Be A Millionaire?", in which Andi Peters and Emma Forbes were asked where the 1381Peasants' Revolt took place. Peters was strongly drawn to Scotland, they used 50:50 and were left with England and Ireland. Forbes phoned a friend who has a history degree; the latter hesitated and then named England, "but it's just a guess".
The next question was, in which book does the following saying appear: "Four legs good, two legs bad?" Forbes remembered that Animal Farm was by George Orwell, because she'd done it for 'O' level; but was so uncertain that this successful media pair agreed to leave the question and take the money they'd already won.
We approach a General Election of historic significance, and (I still cannot believe it) within five years we will see the death of our constitution. Seemingly, only a tiny fringe party called UKIP and a few others know what is going to happen, and why it is so important.
Was the extension of the franchise over the last 170 years such a good idea? Or am I too pessimistic, and do the people have a better understanding of themselves than is implied by the astounding ignorance of tremendously well-paid and fussed-over limelight-hoggers?
To Be A Millionaire?", in which Andi Peters and Emma Forbes were asked where the 1381Peasants' Revolt took place. Peters was strongly drawn to Scotland, they used 50:50 and were left with England and Ireland. Forbes phoned a friend who has a history degree; the latter hesitated and then named England, "but it's just a guess".
The next question was, in which book does the following saying appear: "Four legs good, two legs bad?" Forbes remembered that Animal Farm was by George Orwell, because she'd done it for 'O' level; but was so uncertain that this successful media pair agreed to leave the question and take the money they'd already won.
We approach a General Election of historic significance, and (I still cannot believe it) within five years we will see the death of our constitution. Seemingly, only a tiny fringe party called UKIP and a few others know what is going to happen, and why it is so important.
Was the extension of the franchise over the last 170 years such a good idea? Or am I too pessimistic, and do the people have a better understanding of themselves than is implied by the astounding ignorance of tremendously well-paid and fussed-over limelight-hoggers?
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