Tuesday 22 November 2011
winner, winner turkey dinner or klatu, barda, nikto
catagories: ๐ก, ๐ญ, philosophy, religion
Monday 21 November 2011
holiday creep or proscenium
catagories: ๐ฉ๐ช, environment, holidays and observances
Sunday 20 November 2011
villa suburbana
Saturday 19 November 2011
baby out with the bath water
Both sides ought to realize the limits of reparations and accusations before diplomacy is exhausted as well: sacrificing national self-determination for the sake of monetary-security is as big a farce as the security-theatre of the absurd of the States. And although the old arrangements have been shown to be less than ideal and Europe’s true-believers have been given a great gift in the chance to re-think and re-build the framework of this cooperative, one should not be tempted to dismiss the overall health and well-being of the EU with such prejudice. Some are crying socialism and collectivism, very reminiscent I think of the harsh treatment and fear-mongering propagated by the opponents of Obamacare when they cited horror stories from the British NHS (National Health Service) as reasons to avoid socialized medicine, but in large parts of Europe, the people are seeing benefits from the taxes they contribute realized in affordable health-care, less gentrification, labour laws that protect the worker, preservation of heritage and the environment, rule of law without tolerance for corruption. The financial institutions that are ailing for the most part are limited to those that were over-extended in the American real-estate market and the imaginary numbers game of derivatives, Volkswagen is worth more in real assets than all of American auto manufacturers combined, and though employment and future prospects have sadly diminished in many places, there is great potential for recovery, should national entities only be able to deliver on their original promises. There is not, I think, so much outside pressure mandating change as restructuring for competition, enforcement of regulation (taxation) and growth, within reason. There's already enough crap in the world to satisfy any consumer (though possibly not at the right price), but the de-industrialization of the world's former factories (the US and the UK have grown a bit shrill in their criticism along with moving to a service-based economy) had nothing to do with a grand-anti-consumerism movement and more to do with greed.
Countries that retained their manufacturing sector continue to enjoy economic health and good levels of employment all around--not to over-simplify matters and not to disparage those nations that have picked up the slack with the outsourcing and off-shoring of corporate colonialism, tasked nominally with the production and export of things out-of-proportion with their own needs, means and tastes. It is not just the cars, planes, computers, etc. but also the management and control in line with demand and the dirty part of the business that leaves a mess to clean up: increased demand and improvements in standards of living has not pushed the tolerance of the environment to unseen heights but the struggle to maintain profit and productivity has. Remanded to one's own backyard, manufacturing and the challenge to do it all better and within one's neighbourhood imperatives, I believe, to mend the environment and the economy. National branding won't heal rifts nor will it safeguard statehood but maybe without the artificial threats of endless debt and austere futures, nations can resume talking about what works and what hasn't and without entendre and vitriol.
catagories: ๐ง๐ช, ๐ฉ๐ช, ๐ช๐บ, ๐ฌ๐ง, ๐, ๐ก, ๐ฅธ, economic policy, environment, lifestyle
Friday 18 November 2011
fiat
Since the end of World War II and the Bretton Woods Conference for the promotion of open markets, there have been about thirty dissolutions of monetary unions (around seventy if one counts trade associations and related pacts) around the world, and while some break-ups were due to revolution or were superseded by other currencies, many of the terminations were voluntary and in recognition that conditions have changed. Despite the magnitude of the moment that the European common currency has, partners taking leave is not a new or rare thing. The European Union and Europe is about more than just money--and after all, that's all this is, not the end of the world. The euro is worth the effort (without judging the means and extremes taken) to preserve the balance of plurality and individuality that it represents. Though bankers and politicians rather campaign on legacies and steady-states, humans have an extraordinary capacity for adapting to change and privation (some of which in the realm of possibilities could be to the greater good) and we should not forget our native gifts that have grown a bit repugnant to regime and business, whose framework of custody and profit might render us all helpless.
Seit Ende der zweiten Weltkrieg und der Bretton Woods-Konferenz (fรผr die Fรถrderung von offene Mรคrkte), hat ungefรคhr 30 internationale Wรคhrungsunionen (ohne die Gewerkschaftsverbanden und Bunds zu zรคhlen) aufgelรถst. Wรคhrend die Spaltungen aufgrund eines Revolution oder einer Nachfolgewรคhrung, wurden viele Kรผndigungen freiwillig. Trotz der Grรถรe und Komplexitรคt der aktuelle Situation in Europa, Auflockerung ist nichts neu oder selten. Der EU ist nicht nur Geld--es geht ja nur um Geld und keinen Weltuntergang. Das Euro wert ist zu retten (ohne Rรผcksicht auf die Maรnahme) um die richtige Balance zwischen Souverรคnitรคt und Gruppenarbeit willen. Banken und Politiker bevorzugen Stabilitรคt, obwohl Menschen haben ein natรผrliches Talent fรผr Verรคnderung und Einschrรคnkungen. Die Wende kรถnnte zum grรถberen Wohl das Volk ergeben, und es sollte nicht vergessen werden, dass wir haben solcher Anpassungsfรคhigkeit trotz den Minuspunkte bei Wirtschaft und Politik.
catagories: ๐ช๐บ, economic policy
Thursday 17 November 2011
les trois perdants or suspension of belief
catagories: ๐ง , philosophy, revolution
Wednesday 16 November 2011
you used to ride on your chrome horse with your diplomat
catagories: America, foreign policy
nazca or man in the moon
Until a couple years ago when satellite charting services started paying attention to the ocean and the ocean’s floor, it seemed like our educational system was really failing, since 99% of school children could not locate Atlantis on a map. It turned out the apparent submerged roadways and building foundations were shadows and optical illusions (pareidolia, like the Face on Mars) but the excitement at least increased the awareness of some people. Perhaps, ultimately, the strange, man-made patterns appearing in China’s remote Gobi Desert will present the same lesson. It’s mysterious, kind of like the Nazca Lines of Peru, but barring what’s classified or secreted away (surely a fresh sweep is allowed over Iranian and Chinese ambitions but not over Area 51), one will probably be able to divine their purpose, whether defensive or experimenting with new ways of producing energy or drawing water out of a salty aquifer discovered beneath the desert. Before such powerful telemetry became available, the Great Wall of China was considered the only man-made structure "visible" unaided from orbit: I wonder if that distinction is still meaningful when all skyward features, down to the smallest detail, are visible for public scrutiny and imagination.