and the serpent is too powerful to be defeated at the levels your characters are when they reach that point, but mounted on a chocobo your party can move fast enough to escape the serpent and reach the caves beyond.
.... OK, and THIS doesn't explain why FF XIV is a failure -- it only explains why I've never played the game in the first place.
It's BOTH the economy and more efficient products -- but MOSTLY it's the recession.
Consumers aren't the ONLY ones using electricity. However -- why is the COST not going down?
I'll answer that with a RELATED bit of information I came across; 3 Years ago, the amount of refined oil products (like gas and plastics) that was imported was about 3 Billion barrels per day. Now, we export about 1/2 Billion barrels of Gas per day.
The real value of the dollar, the decreasing usage of transportation (as people DON'T go to the job they DON'T have), means that the USA is a net gas exporter again -- and the media and the ticker tape parades were silent!
>> So WHY is the gas price at the pump going up? Commodities Futures! Speculation about what might happen to prices and demand -- or really, it's the oil companies backing their own speculators, and buying the oil to constrain demand -- also, the PRICE is not really anything more than what they want to charge, based on how much we will tolerate paying -- there isn't any real pressure to lower the price other than alternative energy or walking to work.
Aren't "signing statements" additions that the president makes to laws passed by Congress (i.e. when the president signs the bill)? I don't think Obama can make signing statements about judicial and agency nominees that are never even voted on.
Why the Hell are you bringing logic and facts into a rhetorical argument that blames Obama for Republican Obstructionism?
What is being said is; "Government can't create jobs" -- followed by; "Why the Hell hasn't Obama created any jobs?"
The people saying this have no clue that it is contradictory, or that it isn't even that brilliant. It's what you call a 20 Karate polished turd of an argument.
Obama better fix the government watchdog situation that the Republicans are not allowing him to address or they will have his ASS!
I REALLY HATE THE REPUBLICANS -- but to pretend that Obama "cannot get anything done" is to accept that bringing a knife to more than one gun fight is an acceptable fighting strategy for our hero.
Either Obama is NOT a hero -- or he is sadly naive. At this point, I expect him to lie, steal, abuse power and imprison his opposition because the security of the US is at stake. If he is NOT willing to shove John Boehner into GitMo -- I question his leadership skills.
I'm sure that the SEC had a "free market approach" to losing data; whoever paid enough.
I'm predicting that the next "surprise" will come from FINRA -- which is basically a joint venture between Wall Street and financial regulation -- what's the worst that could happen?
Or what you are saying is; "The nightmare result of a potential Liberally abusive government is only less awful than that of a "free market" abusive government" as Caerdwyn had put it earlier.
>> Government is going to be there whether we like it or not -- it's just a TOOL for setting the rules.
Data collection and lack of privacy isn't good for a Democracy or free speech -- no matter WHAT paradigm you are living in. And the "free market" being allowed to pool and profile everyone isn't any better than "big brother."
>> I'm for a future that DOESN'T SUCK -- and the best way I know how to get there is transparent government with NO SECRETS and a public with total privacy -- and both government and corporations should be nervous about the Public. Right now --- we've got neither.
... I think we will call this the beginning of the "Post Labor Age." We've had the industrial revolution, the computer revolution and the Internet age.
>> I seriously think that we CANNOT keep society intact and life civil without changing the way we look at "earning a living." We already have so many "make work" jobs in our economy -- to keep people busy. I'd say that only 5% of us even do something necessary.
And before you tell everyone how NECESSARY your job is -- consider that marketing, accounting, legal and sales are all about "distributing" or influencing people to purchase. Tax complications, keep many accountants employed. Haggling with insurance companies for a Doctors office.
Once automation is able to replace most construction, and expert systems most accountants and boiler-plate legal work -- the amount of money that goes to those who OWN these smart factories of the future will be greater -- and the demand for labor, less.
The planet just hit 7 Billion people and it is estimated, we are using resources that would require 1 and a half earths to fulfill (an estimate of the "load bearing" capacity of the planet).
>> AS harsh as we are now in the USA to what we call "deadbeats", I think we are a generation away from most people being useless -- intensive education of the brightest, or the OWNING of resources and patents will only employ a small percentage of the population.
It could be a golden age -- or a Darwinian nightmare -- it all depends on how we deal with this as a society. I fear that the Wealthiest, are too busy trying to create a police state and already look upon the teaming masses as useless eaters.
That would only create a precedent where various Religious Organizations would come to collect on "Gods Patent."
I could only imagine the huge battle of hired mercenaries as the Mormons and Vatican square off to make sure that everyone knows who GOD wanted to collect "His" royalties.
>> No good can come of using Religion to solve a problem -- unless that problem happens to not already exist, and you need an imaginary problem urgently.
INSTEAD -- I would urge you to call on the churches to "Pray for our debt to go away." Next year, inevitably, we scold everyone who "didn't pray hard enough."
First, the "small government" acolytes, starve regulatory agencies -- and the funding for this, comes from companies that Don't want regulation.
Then the "big government agency" downsizes, because it cannot afford to keep people on staff.
For some reason, the Contracting Agency, gets paid about 10 times per employee that we paid for each "big government" worker. You know, like the Mercenaries in Iraq who got $100,000 PLUS to do KP duty and make food for the soldiers.
Eventually, the lack of oversight, means that the FDA has an inspector visit a company once every few decades -- or the Oil company oversight fails to make BP put adequate devices on their drilling platforms. We certainly "saved" a lot of money, deregulating banks and having them lose $70 Trillion!
>> Bush and Republicans have increased the SPENDING on government -- the ONLY reductions have come from reducing SERVICES provided from Government, and oversight of Billionaires.
>> We now have a "feedback" loop with many "profitable" business that contract for Government services. The Prison corporations, make money from more prisoners and by cutting costs -- meaning, a more demeaning life for prisoners -- but also, that they LOBBY for longer sentencing and to make more things illegal.
It seems to me, that we DON'T want profits to be made in some parts of our economy -- we DO NOT WANT a business approach. If a Corporation makes money on war -- they want MORE war. It's that simple. Anything we want to redistribute, or make LESS likely should be a government function -- period.
>> And it's CRAZY to have private weapons manufacturers -- what do we do when they set up shop and take their technology to China because the USA is NOT the great source of "War Profits?" We are much less safe, and much less well off because corporations made a bundle on our needless invasion of Iraq -- and the Oil Companies benefitted while lobbying for Tax Breaks. The people BENEFITTING from Government are making it bigger -- that's just doesn't happen to be the working poor.
... the Copy protection companies should be paying the American taxpayer about $70 Trillion dollars -- because our FBI has been busy going after kids downloading MP3 files rather than the Crooks on Wall Street.
>> Until the Copyrighters want to PAY for our entire FBI cost -- I don't think these agencies should be in the business of procuring profits for corporations -- they should be going after fraud and abuse of power.
OK, I really can't understand WHAT benefit your point about "Hunter/Gatherers" has for Modern Society. The USA couldn't feed itself more than two weeks if everyone scrounged for food -- self-sufficient entities are rare, except for Ted Nugent and maybe ten other dudes. The "hunter" is no more... and having a few dead animals on the wall proves that you can aim a stick that shoots a piece of metal at 30,000 MPH -- what is the point of that?
Reading some of these links, maybe this one sums it up; In fact, the cheap-labor conservatives have counter-attacked with their own “rational” theory to justify their hierarchical world-view. Some call it “Social Darwinism”, though more politically savvy cheap-labor conservatives avoid that term. The purpose of this “rational theory” is to establish that the existing social order is the “natural order”. Elites enjoy wealth, privilege and status because of their inherent superiority. The place where this natural hierarchy is established, is that mythical place known as the “market”.
First, let me say that the BIG myth, is that there is such a thing as "ELITE" people. The Pharaoh was not God. The King was merely some inbred lucky sperm. And I contend, that MOST really wealthy people are much more "Right Place, Right Time" than in any way superior in intelligence. Being in an environment with more food, education, stimulation and healthy peer pressure, is ALWAYS going to produce people who succeed more on average, than putting them in deprivation. Stress hormones limit brain function and poor people score poorer on tests -- it's a feedback mechanism. UNLESS someone throws undeserved resources and education and money at the poor -- they will ALWAYS be under-performers. Those poor peasants in the Middle Ages, never moved up -- despite all the "tough love."
Every crook and charlatan, who has every weaseled his way into a position of power, immediately buys art and "commissions" great works so as to rationalize their enlightenment on the masses, lest they take the charlatan's wealth in the same way it was earned. The Pirates who settled in Savannah Georgia, now have 4th Generation "blue bloods" who celebrate their American Heritage.
>> But my "GUESS" is, you are talking about the "myth" of the value of money. Well, we now have the computing power and internet -- so we could actually monazite barter, and trade goods and services without money. Unfortunately, it would be illegal, because it undermines the system that says that every child born in the USA automatically owes $65,000 dollars.
And sure, if we WANT less, and choose not to consume, we can enjoy the company of others -- but MEANWHILE this is collapsing our "Capitalist" Marketplace -- and the best solution for dealing with a bunch of Hippies who want to check out of the corporate world, grow organic food and make love -- is to start a war and draft those guys, shave their hair, and let them bleed for the almighty dollar.
>> There is no "spiritual" way out of our economic system; we have to face it head on. Violence is going to be inevitable; because we cannot feed ourselves by hunting and gathering, and we need the MONEY to buy food -- but we are running out of money because it stays in the hands of the people who game the system. If we all create our own system and stay out of it -- we will be forced into some sort of war eventually.
I hate Ron Paul because he is NEVER Right....... he's only amazing to people who've got a Business 101 understanding of Economics.
Nations, when they hit the debt to GDP ratio have NEVER come back We aren't any worse off with this ratio than when Reagan was in office wrecking the economy...
Obama and a sane congress, could raise the debt ceiling, and pay off the creditors for another quarter and we would be fine. The dollar would not change much at all -- it's the only game in town after all, and all the countries like China that loaned us money, don't want their "dollars" being devalued either. Long term -- sure, it's going to hurt us, as the Creditors slowly turn their dollars into assets -- like our roads and buildings.
They could start a Public Works project, and build light rail, so that people can get to work, without killing the ecosystem in cars and going into debt for a vehicle.
>> EVERYTHING that we are told by the "Business 101" geniuses, that would hurt our economy -- is what CREATED the greatest economy in the world. Instead of the TSA -- which is a public works project -- we could be putting people to work adding parks and solar collectors -- ANYTHING, besides feeling up kids and sniffing people's shoes. If America got out of the War business -- fewer people would want to blow us up.
The ONLY thing that is really going to save our economy, is a New, New Deal -- more SOCIALISM. But let's pretend all the crooks who've been bullshitting us and screwing the Middle Class for decades now, have anything useful to say for another few years. Let's ignore history and real prosperity, and sell off all the public assets to the same people who PAID for Rush Limbaugh and all the "Think Tanks" who peddle this nonsense.
The British constitution has the "right of property" -- in the US Constitution -- it's "Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of Happiness."
You don't actually have a Constitutional Right to the value of your property.
>> And Defaulting on the debt is going to devalue our currency in a more sudden, and bigger way than merely printing more money like we've been doing for quite some time now.
Oh, I just realized that the Ancient Egyptians were even more brilliant; those Pyramids were already super huge coins that they were using to "Pay off God" -- nobody could us it for anything else.
It was a perfect, non-appreciating asset that could have "investment value" -- but did not produce excess purchasing power.
The Egyptian civilization lasted for about 10,000 years and didn't have a whole lot of war... should we still "mock" their Ruse of having people stack blocks to secure a better future in the afterlife? As far as nonsense Religions go -- it certainly was a useful one.
They need to make the "coin" ten stories Tall and two football fields Wide. That way, we don't need to guard it, and you can actually SEE from space if anyone is trying to steal it. It's possible, "Someone" MIGHT get about 50 bulldozers together and push it somewhere -- but how are they going to USE this coin?
Of course, this would help the economy, as Europeans and Japanese spend Billions in tourist dollars just to visit the stupidly massive coin, and Laugh at how crazy the Americans have gotten.
>> But it would never work -- because ultimately, having an economy dependent upon such a ridiculous coin, would help people to realize that our Economic System is a farce to begin with. It's only a ruse to keep everyone busy and banks in charge.... I say we go back to building pyramids -- it's a much more sensible system for keeping people busy than banking and wars.
Yeah, I'm pretty sure that Obama is WORKING for the same corporate agenda as the Republicans.
I'm just waiting for that time when everyone gets really fed up. I really don't know how our economic system can keep running, when almost ALL the wealth is in the hands of about 4,000 people (at least in the US).
But, I suppose, money has always been a fiction. WE think it has value because we can buy a home or food with it -- we can acquire JUST enough so that we are constantly busy acquiring money. The more pointless the job -- the higher the pay. Maybe the Super Wealthy, who don't get listed on Forbes, keep score some other way -- because the money in the hands of the Middle Class, is just too little any more to be worth taking for much longer. There is NO cost savings to throwing Seniors in the streets -- lowering MediCare, and all these public programs, will cost jobs and stifle the economy. The undocumented workers and the millions of Americans who cannot see a doctor, are going to be a breeding ground for Plagues -- has everyone FORGOTTEN the benefits of having an infrastructure and educating people?
Look at it this way; Bill Gates walks into a bar, and would you rather sell one "Diamond Martini" for a Million Dollars, or a million drinks a year for $8.00 to the working stiffs who come into the bar? For one Bill Gates -- you could have (about) 78,000 Millionaires -- THAT makes an economy, where it's profitable chasing those dollars.
The crap at Walmart can't get much more crappy and allow profits -- at some point, the US is going to need sweatshops to trade with the sweatshops in China. Will their growing Middle Class be enough? ONLY if they tax rich people like the USA used to...
>> I just wish I could find someway to do something about the inevitable collapse the USA is going to undergo. It doesn't seem like our system has any fair players which could punish the guilty and modify Corporate behavior so that it isn't so destructive.
>> Whether it is some Oil Company, Bank, a Nuclear Power company cutting corners -- EVENTUALLY, all this greed and corruption, is going to "make a mistake" that is too big to correct. But there is no vision, or empathy amongst those with the power to do something to change the destructive course we are on. So this "pretend" debate will continue -- and be followed by another "pretend emergency" that steals more from the Public, and gives more to the Robber Barons.
But this is going to start effecting Millionaires soon -- because who else are the Billionaires going to rob?
ACTUALLY, there is a distinct difference between Minted money and "printed" Currency.
The US Mint, is actually the government (Congress) creating coins. Dollar Bills, however, are a promissory note, and they come from the Federal Reserve creating Bonds that have to be paid back with interest.
So a "Coin" is money from thin air -- the government. And "Paper money" is from a private corporation made of bankers, with little oversight, and they get paid about 2.4% automatically each year -- this is what creates "inflation." Because all of our Dollar Currency is derived from debt.
>> People who think we can actually Pay off the US Debt, don't understand this slight of hand that is going on.
I'd be Happy if Banking went back to the Government -- since that's the group that constantly has to bail out the banks.
Money is an imaginary construct, and we only recognize it so that the world and commerce can keep on moving. There isn't enough VALUE in the world to pay off all the debts created UNLESS of course, we valued labor and materials more than money instruments -- which isn't going to happen. We are in a fixed game, and you can either play it, or starve.
Your idea that we would UNDERMINE the value of the dollar would make sense -- if it actually happened the last 50 times we printed money out of thin air......the "trust" in the US Dollar is going to take a bigger hit from defaulting on the debt and interest rates will climb. Forgive me if I prefer to deal with the "devil I know" rather than trust the Economic expertise coming from Republican and Libertarian "economic experts" -- the same ones that are consistently wrong, and preach things like "lower import tariffs" will make us more competitive.
You want to REALLY know what gives value to our Dollar? The power of our military, nuclear stockpiles and the willingness to use them. Iraq, Libya and a few other nations daring to start trading oil in other currencies -- they got invaded shortly after. The dollar has value, because the Global Banks and our military, will pound a country into sand if it doesn't. NOW you know what very few people in the world truly understand -- you are welcome.
" But devaluation via a default, our products will be cheaper globally,".... if we actually EXPORTED a lot of products -- that MIGHT be helpful. But this theoretical concept, like looking for the "upside of Global Warming" doesn't actually help the average American worker. The Stock Market will go up suddenly, because STOCKS are cheaper. Exports will be cheaper... but will more be bought? Not enough to make a big difference, I'm afraid. Too many multinationals have purchased these companies that export from the US -- so they get the profits and shuffle around the wealth.
You argue as if the US Government were somehow less efficient and trustworthy than the corporations. Which makes no sense at all, because the corruption of our government is PRECISELY because it is being RUN by our corporations. The one benefit Obama has brought to our government is better oversight and regulation. Having competent and non-corrupt people policing our Financial institutions -- saves us a LOT of money.
But, I'm afraid that the power players that are running things now, are primarily focused on bringing the USA into another Great Depression -- and THIS time, they don't want it to effect the Wealthy. Unfortunately, what they don't understand is that Capitalism has to have a market with buying power -- and there won't be any assets that are safe because the Rich have too many assets. We cannot afford to PAY much anymore -- so there is little to be squeezed from the Middle Class -- so the Super Rich can only steal from governments, or emerging markets (which are a bit more savvy about the WTO these days).
The problem is, there are no more HONEST SUCKERS. All the Robber Barons, have stolen everything -- and they don't trust each other NOT to steal. So the economic system HAS to redistribute this wealth -- because it has already pooled up. Like in the game of Monopoly; once one player has all the assets -- the game is over.
That's the fundamental problem we are facing -- and the flaw in our "private" banking system which inevitably runs out of economic bubbles to play upon, and crashes. Economic prosperity and stability, is historically, NOT a permanent thing.
... it only has ONE huge problem: I think that our government, meaning OBAMA and the REPUBLICANS and quite a few DEMOCRATS, are actually TRYING to get the US to go into default.
The Robber Barons, who pay for these elections in our pretend representational government, WANT higher interest rates. Coming up with an excuse so that the bond rating agencies can lower our value, puts the US in the same debtor class as many third world countries.
>> The other issue here is that I WOULD LOVE, for the Treasury to go back to minting coins. The Federal Reserve is a clutch of bankers,... and all our money is created out of debt TO THEM -- so we cannot really pay it off. However, in the Constitution -- it's required that "Congress" shall mint coin -- and they do -- just not the dollars. When President Carter came out with the Susan B. Anthony silver dollar -- it sent a quiet shockwave through the halls of the Banksters -- and I think that's what started their animosity towards his administration -- who can say, really?
If all US money were coins -- ONLY Congress could print money. But since they are actually promissory notes -- this allows for an end-run around the Constitution via a technicality. Following the letter of the law but not the spirit.
>> This nonsense argument is merely a way so that Obama can trade what is left of his manhood and Social safety nets to the Republicans for a ride on their magical Unicorn of economic prosperity. How long now, have we been pretending that "trickle down" from lower taxes on the Wealthy is going to turn into jobs and growth for our economy?
>> Instead of increasing taxes to make up for the REVENUE shortfall -- how about increasing Tariffs on imported goods. China and India charge 40% and 20% respectively for imports versus our 2% charge. Imports cost us jobs -- so we should at least throw out that "myth" that higher tariffs will hurt our "global competitiveness.
But none of these ideas will work -- because the Democrats and Republicans have been playing "good cop --- bad cop" for over 30 years and now we have "bad cop -- insane cop"... so really, the "ideas" aren't going to work, because the GOAL is to make us all indentured servants.
Obama could have pushed for trillions in stimulus and we could be building light rail and a new energy infrastructure -- easily dealing with the "unemployment problem." Raise the minimum wage a dollar an hour for the next few years as well.
>> And please, Libertarians, I already know your rebuttals. Your philosophies come out of the same corporate-backed think tanks financed from the same companies that populate the US Chamber of Commerce -- which is mostly transnationals that profit from outsourcing jobs.
I always thought; "Why aren't roofs white" for this very reason.
"Certainly, SOMEBODY would have pushed to have light roofs and roads if it had a benefit." Turns out, that in human society, "somebody" is trampled under the hoofs of the stampede of EVERYBODY KNOWS....
ACTUALLY, the Real purpose of MOST Committees, is to catch the abuser, and make sure that they either punish them (if it's someone not in the protected class or off the reservation), or extract a "campaign donation."
The politicians on the most influential committees get the biggest donations from those groups that were most likely to commit abuse.
It's almost tragically funny, that the Senator with the thing for molesting pages, was chairing the Committee for Child Endangerment -- that was AFTER Karl Rove found out he had a problem.
I think it was Ashcroft -- or another asshole like him -- who was on a committee tasked with Monopoly abuse, and he left for private "consulting" just before the hammer came down on a certain software company -- and then became a 7 figure consultant and the charges disappeared. I could research it again -- but I really don't care... I"m just left with the total disgust of this "game" of oversight.
Our political system will ONLY give us corrupt cronies -- an honest man cannot raise enough funds and get the endorsement of corporations like BP. So, the Committees are only as good as the people who form them. Inevitably, like I've said -- they are used for fundraising through extortion (they made it legal), or they are used as a hammer to anyone who would challenge the corrupt system.
Note that our Justice system has been busy making sure no municipalities can push for instant run-off voting and paper ballots.
Slashdot Mirror
and the serpent is too powerful to be defeated at the levels your characters are when they reach that point, but mounted on a chocobo your party can move fast enough to escape the serpent and reach the caves beyond.
It's BOTH the economy and more efficient products -- but MOSTLY it's the recession.
Consumers aren't the ONLY ones using electricity. However -- why is the COST not going down?
I'll answer that with a RELATED bit of information I came across;
3 Years ago, the amount of refined oil products (like gas and plastics) that was imported was about 3 Billion barrels per day. Now, we export about 1/2 Billion barrels of Gas per day.
The real value of the dollar, the decreasing usage of transportation (as people DON'T go to the job they DON'T have), means that the USA is a net gas exporter again -- and the media and the ticker tape parades were silent!
>> So WHY is the gas price at the pump going up? Commodities Futures! Speculation about what might happen to prices and demand -- or really, it's the oil companies backing their own speculators, and buying the oil to constrain demand -- also, the PRICE is not really anything more than what they want to charge, based on how much we will tolerate paying -- there isn't any real pressure to lower the price other than alternative energy or walking to work.
"# of illegal wars started by Bush: 0"
Number of Illegal wars started by Hitler:0
>> I'm sure that the Iraqis are SO HAPPY we invaded them on a technicality.
Aren't "signing statements" additions that the president makes to laws passed by Congress (i.e. when the president signs the bill)? I don't think Obama can make signing statements about judicial and agency nominees that are never even voted on.
Why the Hell are you bringing logic and facts into a rhetorical argument that blames Obama for Republican Obstructionism?
What is being said is; "Government can't create jobs" -- followed by; "Why the Hell hasn't Obama created any jobs?"
The people saying this have no clue that it is contradictory, or that it isn't even that brilliant. It's what you call a 20 Karate polished turd of an argument.
Obama better fix the government watchdog situation that the Republicans are not allowing him to address or they will have his ASS!
So you're saying Bush was a dictator?
No -- as Bush said; "I'm the Decider!"
It was Harriet Myers who took "dictation."
Absolutely correct.
I REALLY HATE THE REPUBLICANS -- but to pretend that Obama "cannot get anything done" is to accept that bringing a knife to more than one gun fight is an acceptable fighting strategy for our hero.
Either Obama is NOT a hero -- or he is sadly naive. At this point, I expect him to lie, steal, abuse power and imprison his opposition because the security of the US is at stake. If he is NOT willing to shove John Boehner into GitMo -- I question his leadership skills.
I'm sure that the SEC had a "free market approach" to losing data; whoever paid enough.
I'm predicting that the next "surprise" will come from FINRA -- which is basically a joint venture between Wall Street and financial regulation -- what's the worst that could happen?
It's probably like this model;
1) Reduce government so it's too small that some company no longer has an incentive to buy politicians.
2) .... some sort of free-market miracle happens here ...
3) Profit!
>> If this involves gnomes stealing underwear -- I think it hasn't really been thought out too well.
Or what you are saying is; "The nightmare result of a potential Liberally abusive government is only less awful than that of a "free market" abusive government" as Caerdwyn had put it earlier.
>> Government is going to be there whether we like it or not -- it's just a TOOL for setting the rules.
Data collection and lack of privacy isn't good for a Democracy or free speech -- no matter WHAT paradigm you are living in. And the "free market" being allowed to pool and profile everyone isn't any better than "big brother."
>> I'm for a future that DOESN'T SUCK -- and the best way I know how to get there is transparent government with NO SECRETS and a public with total privacy -- and both government and corporations should be nervous about the Public. Right now --- we've got neither.
... I think we will call this the beginning of the "Post Labor Age." We've had the industrial revolution, the computer revolution and the Internet age.
>> I seriously think that we CANNOT keep society intact and life civil without changing the way we look at "earning a living." We already have so many "make work" jobs in our economy -- to keep people busy. I'd say that only 5% of us even do something necessary.
And before you tell everyone how NECESSARY your job is -- consider that marketing, accounting, legal and sales are all about "distributing" or influencing people to purchase. Tax complications, keep many accountants employed. Haggling with insurance companies for a Doctors office.
Once automation is able to replace most construction, and expert systems most accountants and boiler-plate legal work -- the amount of money that goes to those who OWN these smart factories of the future will be greater -- and the demand for labor, less.
The planet just hit 7 Billion people and it is estimated, we are using resources that would require 1 and a half earths to fulfill (an estimate of the "load bearing" capacity of the planet).
>> AS harsh as we are now in the USA to what we call "deadbeats", I think we are a generation away from most people being useless -- intensive education of the brightest, or the OWNING of resources and patents will only employ a small percentage of the population.
It could be a golden age -- or a Darwinian nightmare -- it all depends on how we deal with this as a society. I fear that the Wealthiest, are too busy trying to create a police state and already look upon the teaming masses as useless eaters.
That would only create a precedent where various Religious Organizations would come to collect on "Gods Patent."
I could only imagine the huge battle of hired mercenaries as the Mormons and Vatican square off to make sure that everyone knows who GOD wanted to collect "His" royalties.
>> No good can come of using Religion to solve a problem -- unless that problem happens to not already exist, and you need an imaginary problem urgently.
INSTEAD -- I would urge you to call on the churches to "Pray for our debt to go away." Next year, inevitably, we scold everyone who "didn't pray hard enough."
First, the "small government" acolytes, starve regulatory agencies -- and the funding for this, comes from companies that Don't want regulation.
Then the "big government agency" downsizes, because it cannot afford to keep people on staff.
For some reason, the Contracting Agency, gets paid about 10 times per employee that we paid for each "big government" worker. You know, like the Mercenaries in Iraq who got $100,000 PLUS to do KP duty and make food for the soldiers.
Eventually, the lack of oversight, means that the FDA has an inspector visit a company once every few decades -- or the Oil company oversight fails to make BP put adequate devices on their drilling platforms. We certainly "saved" a lot of money, deregulating banks and having them lose $70 Trillion!
>> Bush and Republicans have increased the SPENDING on government -- the ONLY reductions have come from reducing SERVICES provided from Government, and oversight of Billionaires.
>> We now have a "feedback" loop with many "profitable" business that contract for Government services. The Prison corporations, make money from more prisoners and by cutting costs -- meaning, a more demeaning life for prisoners -- but also, that they LOBBY for longer sentencing and to make more things illegal.
It seems to me, that we DON'T want profits to be made in some parts of our economy -- we DO NOT WANT a business approach. If a Corporation makes money on war -- they want MORE war. It's that simple. Anything we want to redistribute, or make LESS likely should be a government function -- period.
>> And it's CRAZY to have private weapons manufacturers -- what do we do when they set up shop and take their technology to China because the USA is NOT the great source of "War Profits?" We are much less safe, and much less well off because corporations made a bundle on our needless invasion of Iraq -- and the Oil Companies benefitted while lobbying for Tax Breaks. The people BENEFITTING from Government are making it bigger -- that's just doesn't happen to be the working poor.
... the Copy protection companies should be paying the American taxpayer about $70 Trillion dollars -- because our FBI has been busy going after kids downloading MP3 files rather than the Crooks on Wall Street.
>> Until the Copyrighters want to PAY for our entire FBI cost -- I don't think these agencies should be in the business of procuring profits for corporations -- they should be going after fraud and abuse of power.
OK, I really can't understand WHAT benefit your point about "Hunter/Gatherers" has for Modern Society. The USA couldn't feed itself more than two weeks if everyone scrounged for food -- self-sufficient entities are rare, except for Ted Nugent and maybe ten other dudes. The "hunter" is no more... and having a few dead animals on the wall proves that you can aim a stick that shoots a piece of metal at 30,000 MPH -- what is the point of that?
Reading some of these links, maybe this one sums it up;
In fact, the cheap-labor conservatives have counter-attacked with their own “rational” theory to justify their hierarchical world-view. Some call it “Social Darwinism”, though more politically savvy cheap-labor conservatives avoid that term. The purpose of this “rational theory” is to establish that the existing social order is the “natural order”. Elites enjoy wealth, privilege and status because of their inherent superiority. The place where this natural hierarchy is established, is that mythical place known as the “market”.
First, let me say that the BIG myth, is that there is such a thing as "ELITE" people. The Pharaoh was not God. The King was merely some inbred lucky sperm. And I contend, that MOST really wealthy people are much more "Right Place, Right Time" than in any way superior in intelligence. Being in an environment with more food, education, stimulation and healthy peer pressure, is ALWAYS going to produce people who succeed more on average, than putting them in deprivation. Stress hormones limit brain function and poor people score poorer on tests -- it's a feedback mechanism. UNLESS someone throws undeserved resources and education and money at the poor -- they will ALWAYS be under-performers. Those poor peasants in the Middle Ages, never moved up -- despite all the "tough love."
Every crook and charlatan, who has every weaseled his way into a position of power, immediately buys art and "commissions" great works so as to rationalize their enlightenment on the masses, lest they take the charlatan's wealth in the same way it was earned. The Pirates who settled in Savannah Georgia, now have 4th Generation "blue bloods" who celebrate their American Heritage.
>> But my "GUESS" is, you are talking about the "myth" of the value of money.
Well, we now have the computing power and internet -- so we could actually monazite barter, and trade goods and services without money. Unfortunately, it would be illegal, because it undermines the system that says that every child born in the USA automatically owes $65,000 dollars.
And sure, if we WANT less, and choose not to consume, we can enjoy the company of others -- but MEANWHILE this is collapsing our "Capitalist" Marketplace -- and the best solution for dealing with a bunch of Hippies who want to check out of the corporate world, grow organic food and make love -- is to start a war and draft those guys, shave their hair, and let them bleed for the almighty dollar.
>> There is no "spiritual" way out of our economic system; we have to face it head on. Violence is going to be inevitable; because we cannot feed ourselves by hunting and gathering, and we need the MONEY to buy food -- but we are running out of money because it stays in the hands of the people who game the system. If we all create our own system and stay out of it -- we will be forced into some sort of war eventually.
I hate Ron Paul because he is NEVER Right.... ... he's only amazing to people who've got a Business 101 understanding of Economics.
Nations, when they hit the debt to GDP ratio have NEVER come back
We aren't any worse off with this ratio than when Reagan was in office wrecking the economy...
Obama and a sane congress, could raise the debt ceiling, and pay off the creditors for another quarter and we would be fine. The dollar would not change much at all -- it's the only game in town after all, and all the countries like China that loaned us money, don't want their "dollars" being devalued either. Long term -- sure, it's going to hurt us, as the Creditors slowly turn their dollars into assets -- like our roads and buildings.
They could start a Public Works project, and build light rail, so that people can get to work, without killing the ecosystem in cars and going into debt for a vehicle.
>> EVERYTHING that we are told by the "Business 101" geniuses, that would hurt our economy -- is what CREATED the greatest economy in the world. Instead of the TSA -- which is a public works project -- we could be putting people to work adding parks and solar collectors -- ANYTHING, besides feeling up kids and sniffing people's shoes. If America got out of the War business -- fewer people would want to blow us up.
The ONLY thing that is really going to save our economy, is a New, New Deal -- more SOCIALISM. But let's pretend all the crooks who've been bullshitting us and screwing the Middle Class for decades now, have anything useful to say for another few years. Let's ignore history and real prosperity, and sell off all the public assets to the same people who PAID for Rush Limbaugh and all the "Think Tanks" who peddle this nonsense.
The British constitution has the "right of property" -- in the US Constitution -- it's "Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of Happiness."
You don't actually have a Constitutional Right to the value of your property.
>> And Defaulting on the debt is going to devalue our currency in a more sudden, and bigger way than merely printing more money like we've been doing for quite some time now.
Oh, I just realized that the Ancient Egyptians were even more brilliant; those Pyramids were already super huge coins that they were using to "Pay off God" -- nobody could us it for anything else.
It was a perfect, non-appreciating asset that could have "investment value" -- but did not produce excess purchasing power.
The Egyptian civilization lasted for about 10,000 years and didn't have a whole lot of war... should we still "mock" their Ruse of having people stack blocks to secure a better future in the afterlife? As far as nonsense Religions go -- it certainly was a useful one.
They need to make the "coin" ten stories Tall and two football fields Wide. That way, we don't need to guard it, and you can actually SEE from space if anyone is trying to steal it. It's possible, "Someone" MIGHT get about 50 bulldozers together and push it somewhere -- but how are they going to USE this coin?
Of course, this would help the economy, as Europeans and Japanese spend Billions in tourist dollars just to visit the stupidly massive coin, and Laugh at how crazy the Americans have gotten.
>> But it would never work -- because ultimately, having an economy dependent upon such a ridiculous coin, would help people to realize that our Economic System is a farce to begin with. It's only a ruse to keep everyone busy and banks in charge. ... I say we go back to building pyramids -- it's a much more sensible system for keeping people busy than banking and wars.
Yeah, I'm pretty sure that Obama is WORKING for the same corporate agenda as the Republicans.
I'm just waiting for that time when everyone gets really fed up. I really don't know how our economic system can keep running, when almost ALL the wealth is in the hands of about 4,000 people (at least in the US).
But, I suppose, money has always been a fiction. WE think it has value because we can buy a home or food with it -- we can acquire JUST enough so that we are constantly busy acquiring money. The more pointless the job -- the higher the pay. Maybe the Super Wealthy, who don't get listed on Forbes, keep score some other way -- because the money in the hands of the Middle Class, is just too little any more to be worth taking for much longer. There is NO cost savings to throwing Seniors in the streets -- lowering MediCare, and all these public programs, will cost jobs and stifle the economy. The undocumented workers and the millions of Americans who cannot see a doctor, are going to be a breeding ground for Plagues -- has everyone FORGOTTEN the benefits of having an infrastructure and educating people?
Look at it this way; Bill Gates walks into a bar, and would you rather sell one "Diamond Martini" for a Million Dollars, or a million drinks a year for $8.00 to the working stiffs who come into the bar? For one Bill Gates -- you could have (about) 78,000 Millionaires -- THAT makes an economy, where it's profitable chasing those dollars.
The crap at Walmart can't get much more crappy and allow profits -- at some point, the US is going to need sweatshops to trade with the sweatshops in China. Will their growing Middle Class be enough? ONLY if they tax rich people like the USA used to...
>> I just wish I could find someway to do something about the inevitable collapse the USA is going to undergo. It doesn't seem like our system has any fair players which could punish the guilty and modify Corporate behavior so that it isn't so destructive.
>> Whether it is some Oil Company, Bank, a Nuclear Power company cutting corners -- EVENTUALLY, all this greed and corruption, is going to "make a mistake" that is too big to correct. But there is no vision, or empathy amongst those with the power to do something to change the destructive course we are on. So this "pretend" debate will continue -- and be followed by another "pretend emergency" that steals more from the Public, and gives more to the Robber Barons.
But this is going to start effecting Millionaires soon -- because who else are the Billionaires going to rob?
ACTUALLY, there is a distinct difference between Minted money and "printed" Currency.
The US Mint, is actually the government (Congress) creating coins. Dollar Bills, however, are a promissory note, and they come from the Federal Reserve creating Bonds that have to be paid back with interest.
So a "Coin" is money from thin air -- the government. And "Paper money" is from a private corporation made of bankers, with little oversight, and they get paid about 2.4% automatically each year -- this is what creates "inflation." Because all of our Dollar Currency is derived from debt.
>> People who think we can actually Pay off the US Debt, don't understand this slight of hand that is going on.
I'd be Happy if Banking went back to the Government -- since that's the group that constantly has to bail out the banks.
Money is an imaginary construct, and we only recognize it so that the world and commerce can keep on moving. There isn't enough VALUE in the world to pay off all the debts created UNLESS of course, we valued labor and materials more than money instruments -- which isn't going to happen. We are in a fixed game, and you can either play it, or starve.
Your idea that we would UNDERMINE the value of the dollar would make sense -- if it actually happened the last 50 times we printed money out of thin air... ...the "trust" in the US Dollar is going to take a bigger hit from defaulting on the debt and interest rates will climb. Forgive me if I prefer to deal with the "devil I know" rather than trust the Economic expertise coming from Republican and Libertarian "economic experts" -- the same ones that are consistently wrong, and preach things like "lower import tariffs" will make us more competitive.
You want to REALLY know what gives value to our Dollar? The power of our military, nuclear stockpiles and the willingness to use them. Iraq, Libya and a few other nations daring to start trading oil in other currencies -- they got invaded shortly after. The dollar has value, because the Global Banks and our military, will pound a country into sand if it doesn't. NOW you know what very few people in the world truly understand -- you are welcome.
" But devaluation via a default, our products will be cheaper globally," .... if we actually EXPORTED a lot of products -- that MIGHT be helpful. But this theoretical concept, like looking for the "upside of Global Warming" doesn't actually help the average American worker. The Stock Market will go up suddenly, because STOCKS are cheaper. Exports will be cheaper... but will more be bought? Not enough to make a big difference, I'm afraid. Too many multinationals have purchased these companies that export from the US -- so they get the profits and shuffle around the wealth.
You argue as if the US Government were somehow less efficient and trustworthy than the corporations. Which makes no sense at all, because the corruption of our government is PRECISELY because it is being RUN by our corporations. The one benefit Obama has brought to our government is better oversight and regulation. Having competent and non-corrupt people policing our Financial institutions -- saves us a LOT of money.
But, I'm afraid that the power players that are running things now, are primarily focused on bringing the USA into another Great Depression -- and THIS time, they don't want it to effect the Wealthy. Unfortunately, what they don't understand is that Capitalism has to have a market with buying power -- and there won't be any assets that are safe because the Rich have too many assets. We cannot afford to PAY much anymore -- so there is little to be squeezed from the Middle Class -- so the Super Rich can only steal from governments, or emerging markets (which are a bit more savvy about the WTO these days).
The problem is, there are no more HONEST SUCKERS. All the Robber Barons, have stolen everything -- and they don't trust each other NOT to steal. So the economic system HAS to redistribute this wealth -- because it has already pooled up. Like in the game of Monopoly; once one player has all the assets -- the game is over.
That's the fundamental problem we are facing -- and the flaw in our "private" banking system which inevitably runs out of economic bubbles to play upon, and crashes. Economic prosperity and stability, is historically, NOT a permanent thing.
... it only has ONE huge problem: I think that our government, meaning OBAMA and the REPUBLICANS and quite a few DEMOCRATS, are actually TRYING to get the US to go into default.
The Robber Barons, who pay for these elections in our pretend representational government, WANT higher interest rates. Coming up with an excuse so that the bond rating agencies can lower our value, puts the US in the same debtor class as many third world countries.
>> The other issue here is that I WOULD LOVE, for the Treasury to go back to minting coins. The Federal Reserve is a clutch of bankers,... and all our money is created out of debt TO THEM -- so we cannot really pay it off. However, in the Constitution -- it's required that "Congress" shall mint coin -- and they do -- just not the dollars. When President Carter came out with the Susan B. Anthony silver dollar -- it sent a quiet shockwave through the halls of the Banksters -- and I think that's what started their animosity towards his administration -- who can say, really?
If all US money were coins -- ONLY Congress could print money. But since they are actually promissory notes -- this allows for an end-run around the Constitution via a technicality. Following the letter of the law but not the spirit.
>> This nonsense argument is merely a way so that Obama can trade what is left of his manhood and Social safety nets to the Republicans for a ride on their magical Unicorn of economic prosperity. How long now, have we been pretending that "trickle down" from lower taxes on the Wealthy is going to turn into jobs and growth for our economy?
>> Instead of increasing taxes to make up for the REVENUE shortfall -- how about increasing Tariffs on imported goods. China and India charge 40% and 20% respectively for imports versus our 2% charge. Imports cost us jobs -- so we should at least throw out that "myth" that higher tariffs will hurt our "global competitiveness.
But none of these ideas will work -- because the Democrats and Republicans have been playing "good cop --- bad cop" for over 30 years and now we have "bad cop -- insane cop" ... so really, the "ideas" aren't going to work, because the GOAL is to make us all indentured servants.
Obama could have pushed for trillions in stimulus and we could be building light rail and a new energy infrastructure -- easily dealing with the "unemployment problem." Raise the minimum wage a dollar an hour for the next few years as well.
>> And please, Libertarians, I already know your rebuttals. Your philosophies come out of the same corporate-backed think tanks financed from the same companies that populate the US Chamber of Commerce -- which is mostly transnationals that profit from outsourcing jobs.
I always thought; "Why aren't roofs white" for this very reason.
"Certainly, SOMEBODY would have pushed to have light roofs and roads if it had a benefit." Turns out, that in human society, "somebody" is trampled under the hoofs of the stampede of EVERYBODY KNOWS....
ACTUALLY, the Real purpose of MOST Committees, is to catch the abuser, and make sure that they either punish them (if it's someone not in the protected class or off the reservation), or extract a "campaign donation."
The politicians on the most influential committees get the biggest donations from those groups that were most likely to commit abuse.
It's almost tragically funny, that the Senator with the thing for molesting pages, was chairing the Committee for Child Endangerment -- that was AFTER Karl Rove found out he had a problem.
I think it was Ashcroft -- or another asshole like him -- who was on a committee tasked with Monopoly abuse, and he left for private "consulting" just before the hammer came down on a certain software company -- and then became a 7 figure consultant and the charges disappeared. I could research it again -- but I really don't care ... I"m just left with the total disgust of this "game" of oversight.
Our political system will ONLY give us corrupt cronies -- an honest man cannot raise enough funds and get the endorsement of corporations like BP. So, the Committees are only as good as the people who form them. Inevitably, like I've said -- they are used for fundraising through extortion (they made it legal), or they are used as a hammer to anyone who would challenge the corrupt system.
Note that our Justice system has been busy making sure no municipalities can push for instant run-off voting and paper ballots.
You ever notice that the countries with the LEAST progress tend to be the most patriotic?
Dump on people enough, and make them eat shit, and they rally around that flag pin.
The LEAST religious and patriotic people -- statistically, are the happiest -- because they don't put up with bullshit.