I recall reading a rumour, that no animals died during the Boxing Day Tsunami that hit in 2004. So the urban legend goes, animals sensed the tidal wave coming and ran/ flew for higher ground. Many people think that animals have a sixth sense, that we have lost, and this is evidenced by what apparently occurred during the Tsunami.
It made me wonder if children these days do in fact have such a sixth sense; as a massive generalisation, I get the impression that the younger generation are not as keen on working as I was. There is a large increase in youths having no intention of working, endless requirements for gap years, holidays and a distinct lack of career motivated people.
Perhaps they have a sense of some impending doom and what's the point in working for security if it's all going to end before they need it?
I have no conclusion to make, but perhaps we should consider whether they are right, or is Society's need for productive resources more important that an individual's freedom?
Monday, July 30, 2012
Monday, July 23, 2012
Euro or the Olympics
What hyped up disaster do we routinely talk about this week? One of the curious omissions in reams and reams of newspapers is whether Germany should stay in the Euro.
If Germany was thrown out of the Euro, then the Euro could be revalued to a level that was more appropriate for Spain, Greece, Ireland and possibly Italy. The new Eastern Block countries would no doubt benefit too.
My own take is that the current crisis is caused by, ignoring the media, a lack of capital flows back from Germany to the southern states. The southern states bought the German goods and services, but never received the money back, in the form of loans etc. Interestingly enough, the Chinese are not making the same mistake, and keep on lending to the Americans so they still buy their goods.
Were Germany to exit the Euro, German goods would become very expensive and the negative flow of capital out of, say Spain, would be reversed. Spain would become very cheap again, and the Germans would flock back with their beach towels.
Globally, this would be a benefit too, as European food prices would fall.
13 years after the start, the Fourth Reich would end, one year longer than the third.
If Germany was thrown out of the Euro, then the Euro could be revalued to a level that was more appropriate for Spain, Greece, Ireland and possibly Italy. The new Eastern Block countries would no doubt benefit too.
My own take is that the current crisis is caused by, ignoring the media, a lack of capital flows back from Germany to the southern states. The southern states bought the German goods and services, but never received the money back, in the form of loans etc. Interestingly enough, the Chinese are not making the same mistake, and keep on lending to the Americans so they still buy their goods.
Were Germany to exit the Euro, German goods would become very expensive and the negative flow of capital out of, say Spain, would be reversed. Spain would become very cheap again, and the Germans would flock back with their beach towels.
Globally, this would be a benefit too, as European food prices would fall.
13 years after the start, the Fourth Reich would end, one year longer than the third.
Sunday, July 1, 2012
Banking and Royalty
Before I begin... I must stress that I am neither a republican, nor a monarchist.
The professions of banking and royalty have much in common (I know that you will not probably view being a royal as a profession, but if you do something for money then it is a paid occupation).
On the one hand, both are viewed as being out of touch, aloof, arrogant and take off you what you can't really afford. On the other, they provide a valuable service to the economy and generally create more benefit that the cost thereof.
However, what really drives their commonality is when things go wrong: When they act as playboys and think that they are above the law, then they create massive resentment. At the moment bankers are held in the lowest regard for reasons that we are all aware of and they have forgotten that it is the taxpayer/ common man that ultimately funds them.
Go back a few years and we remember Prince Charles lording it over us, in much the way bankers have now. It appears that the Queen has a long memory in this regard and it could be why she does not appear to want to hand the crown over.
Bankers thus need to get their house in order, because people have long memories. It used to be a noble profession that is now tainted; heed the lessons that royalty have learnt in the 20th and 21st centuries.
The professions of banking and royalty have much in common (I know that you will not probably view being a royal as a profession, but if you do something for money then it is a paid occupation).
On the one hand, both are viewed as being out of touch, aloof, arrogant and take off you what you can't really afford. On the other, they provide a valuable service to the economy and generally create more benefit that the cost thereof.
However, what really drives their commonality is when things go wrong: When they act as playboys and think that they are above the law, then they create massive resentment. At the moment bankers are held in the lowest regard for reasons that we are all aware of and they have forgotten that it is the taxpayer/ common man that ultimately funds them.
Go back a few years and we remember Prince Charles lording it over us, in much the way bankers have now. It appears that the Queen has a long memory in this regard and it could be why she does not appear to want to hand the crown over.
Bankers thus need to get their house in order, because people have long memories. It used to be a noble profession that is now tainted; heed the lessons that royalty have learnt in the 20th and 21st centuries.
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