Thursday 25 November 2010

China's vs Western World economic growth models. Both meaningless. Deserved contempt apportioned.

It is a disgrace to even contemplate such a debate when its fundamentals reek of sewage. Revered growth of China admired and envied by the so-called Western world, mere numbers that mean nothing and bear no significance for the individuals in the societies in either system, a debate infatuated by numbers blind to its real meaning for each and every one of them.
Annual growth for the gross national product which is supposed to be shared among their individuals in the systems, therefore the per capita figure out of it. UK per capita £22,000 in 2009 from the CIA factbook, that amounts for a family of four to £88,000. How many such families bring home that amount of income? How many families struggle with barely a tenth of what has been in book-keeping terms allocated to them what the growth so spuriously debate, is all about.

And for that matter, how many individuals make multiples of the per capita to take home and how many only afford fractions of the per capita to take home? What are the highly-paid salaries and what are the minimum wages? Do they abide to the levels assumed by gross national products, growth that you are so possessed by and so vehemently debate on. None but a gross mis-representation of the growth each individual benefits from. Growth that does not take into account the individual. What individuals ought to take home.

Small wonder the regimes in either system are so afraid of, scared (shitless) of their populations. Security and the threat imposed upon their power is not only China's concern, security business thrives in the western world, it is where it was invented and infected people too. And that inane notion of individualism that the West is blessed with, a smokescreen to hide underneath it the injustice widespread all over, self-serving to suceed in its own goals, the human individual has no need of. As the protests in China and the upheaval in western societies amidst the current crisis, the true-calling of individualism will run unabated.

It is a disgrace to human individual to talk about growth for either system as it is obvious that such growth is only affordable on the backs of their populations. As it is obvious and well-known that the current crisis for the western bears heavily on the less-privileged in all societies in the western world at the mercy of the debt-collectors, a growth in numbers in financial statistics that never materialises in growth in the lives of people.

It makes one wonder why all this wealth that is produced by people doesn't go into people to better their lives. Neither system is fit for the human individual and either system would collapse under the boot of the people.

Wednesday 17 November 2010

RSA ..an organisation from the heart of the establishment

RSA ..the Royal Society of Arts an organisation from the heart of the establishment .. what more can such an institution do .. but sit back and relax .. all-the-while strengthen , reinforce the ties that hold the establishment together .. support and defend it .. from benign to ruthless determination .. that everything is hanky-dory .. but yet it does not do so and not only that .. it does a lot more .. lots more

as if forgotten its roots .. some, and yes I would say that .. disobeying its masters .. its royal comings .. surprise me and astonish me .. and I am bringing it down to the vulgar personal level here .. as I see them .. treading the same path .. that my goals compel me to follow ..

it uses its clout .. to pass on to the world .. earth-shattering ideas .. to outwit the old and lay the foundations of a new system .. global scale system building

if I had the time .. or if I was a person inclined to these matters .. I wish to delve into its evolution .. to acknowledge the bifurcation .. that brought out such an upheaval ..

it proves what? .. the overwhelming power of ideas .. to its force one is compelled to, taken by ..its sweeping vortex .. breaks all barriers .. ascends one self .. to greater heights ..

what is the use to deny .. what is abundantly evident ..

I foresee a great future .. for RSA and humankind .. and there is no doubt it will prevail .. RSA has severed any ties .. with the establishment .. the establishment in its throes .. and in their last stand .. with the election of the Tory government .. which once again managed to boldly dupe the British electorate .. to dearly hold onto what they have accumulated over the years .. their money and their possessions .. the ideas coming out of their lectures .. totally opposing .. on what this last stand want to preserve ..

of its patron, real or by name .. arose without any media upheaval ..as I am aware of .. without warning appeared .. with such thought-provoking ideas .. awe-inspiring .. that I never expected ..

detached from its origins .. seeking out the ideas .. that will shake off the old, comb-webbed establishment .. and usher the new era of humanity's journey ..

Wednesday 3 November 2010

Economists toying with the idea of scrapping money.

Clarendon Lectures, lecture 1 EVIL IS THE ROOT OF ALL MONEY by Nobuhiro Kiyotaki London School of Economics, a macroeconomist and John Moore Edinburgh University and London School of Economics, a microeconomist foreseeing the future ..of money.

"The overall title for the lecture series is "Money and Liquidity". But
let me say straight away that, of these two, we think liquidity is the key.
Money -- that is, non-interest-bearing fiat money -- is merely the
consequence of a liquidity shortage. As I shall explain later, money is not
a logical necessity. Indeed, money may eventually disappear. It may be
driven out by ultra-liquid, privately-issued securities that earn interest.
In our view, Monetary Economics should be displaced by Liquidity Economics
."

That is an interesting thought. Money, not a logical necessity, may eventually disappear. And what of all these that drag along with money and mollify the individual. Power, fame, 'sex appeal' and what other else one can think of. Though the suggestion of being replaced by ultra-liquid, privately-issued securities that earn interest, makes one wonder what is in their mind, and how would that affect people's relationships, which, by the way, it might not be their concern at all but the doubts shed on the usefulness of money, it is, what is worth acknowledging the points made.

As for interest again, compounded I gather, loansharking at bay, these ultra-liquid securities, would be what? Issued by on-the-money individuals, tycoons and the like, bypassing banks and other corporate bodies and possibly evading state control. Capitalism of its worst kind. Foreseeing the domination of the world affairs by moneyed individuals, out to replace elected governments? Mad from power-hunger, Doctors No's and other fictitious characters, the now Bill Gates, Turners, Murdochs, Steve Jobs, out to conquer and dominate the world, to own and make revenue out, of countries, continents, the entire world may be not the limit, having to rely upon James Bond's fellas to save us from?

Monetary economics, exercised by states, public expenditure, budgets etc etc, to liquidity economics? How would that translate into people's lives? Foreseeing the end of states? Is that so umairh

I haven't read the rest of the pdf, as yet, but that raises intriguing thoughts on what's in the minds of economists. To whether that would lead from the very perpetrators themselves to the freedom of humankind from its slavery to money, or on enslaving further human kind to a harsher boot.

The unhinged dedicated ruthless uncompromising perpetrators, providing support with their theories to their masters, to whom they are in the payroll. It is up to humankind what the future holds for money, and if it doesn't do what is supposed to do, then why keep it.

Monday 1 November 2010

System Busting: Abolishing the Money System. Can we afford not to?

Abolishing the Money System. Can we afford not to?

29 Jul 2002 @ 14:58, by Linda Simmons

Abolish Money??!! How can we possible afford not to.
by Linda Simmons

When I first heard the concept “abolish money” I struggled with it. I loved the idea of not having to be focused on money for survival, but I couldn’t imagine what would replace it. Socialism? Communism? All things that we know will remove some freedoms. But when I began to think in terms of Abundance, I was able to shift.

I'm interested in starting a discussion of this concept. Please read full text and add your comments. :)

Abolish Money??!! How can we possible afford not to.
by Linda Simmons

When I first heard the concept “abolish money” I struggled with it. I loved the idea of not having to be focused on money for survival, but I couldn’t imagine what would replace it. Socialism? Communism? All things that we know will remove some freedoms. But when I began to think in terms of Abundance, I was able to shift.

All of those systems, capitalism, communism, and socialism are based on a sense of lack. A belief that there is not enough for all, a belief that someone has to “control” the resources.

When we let go of the idea we need to “control” the resources, we begin to recognize the abundance for all. Matter of fact we can see how capitalism is actually depleting our resources at a faster rate and without regard for the good of the whole. And if we don’t care for the good of the whole, we really haven’t taken care of any of us, for we are all connected to the whole.

There are times when we have to look at systems that we do because they seem to have “always” been there and ask...is this no longer serving me? This is a system that needs to be looked at closely.

We are currently trying to support a system that:

Supports and encourages competition instead of cooperation.
Dominates governmental decisions.
Encourages large scale environmental destruction...instead of only using what we need.
Encourages the creation of substandard “cheaper” goods to create return markets and to create larger profit margins.
Discourages maintenance and safety...again because of costs.
Drives a media focused on manipulation.
Drives products that thrive on addictions.
Uses fear as a motivator.
Creates polarity among people...perhaps even more than than sex, race and religion.
Is one of the leading reasons for crime in this world.
Uses up a tremedous amount of energy that could be directed toward actually making the world a better place to live.

When you consider credit, the government deficit, the stock market and financial institution games...its hard to see what is “real” about the system and the artificial nature of it begins to show through. Money has nothing to do with creating resources. All the resources, labor, ingenuity and technology exist. Money didn’t create these resources But we attached money to these resources and gave OUR power over to it. Money is almost like the fear of machines taking over...at one point is was developed to serve us and now we find out its in control. Or consider, those who have learned to master money are in control...not those who know how to master the resources. I’ll let you consider which skill is more important to our society.

OK...so money is a problem...but what else is there? The new concept is simple. Take money out of the equation is all. As I pointed out, money did not create the resources, technology or ingenuity...we just attached it to this things. So all we have to do is unattach it...let it go...just like we abolished slavery. We just said we aren’t going to have it anymore.

So I know this is stirring up your thinking, so let me move into some questions and answers to get the discussion going in your own mind.

How can we possible change the foundation of our society? What would take its place? Wouldn’t there be chaos?

I’m going to ask you to think about these questions. Not run and do statistical studies and calculations, just take a minute, get quiet, go into your heart and ask these questions. That is exactly where I went and received great comfort around my answers.

Would there be chaos or cooperation? My gut sense is there would be both, but in the long run cooperation would win out. And it certainly couldn’t get anymore chaotic then how things are now.

Wouldn’t we need to control the resources? Make sure everyone gets a fair share? How do we decide what is fair share, wouldn’t that need to be based on what they provide to society?
This is where I deviate from some of the other abolish money system plans. Again...this is coming from my gut feeling...we don’t have to “control” resources, we don’t have to judge what is fair or not fair, just cooperate and work together...we can work it out.

If you want to move into one of the big mansions and it is available, by all means go for it. If you want to build a big mansion and can get enough people together to help you build it...go for it. But this is what my gut sense tells me...if the big mansion is no longer a sign of wealth, matter of fact, ANYONE can have a big mansion...are you still motivated to build a big mansion to rattle around in and take care of? Yes, there will be a few and they are welcome to do that. This is about true freedom of choice, not controlled choice.

So it doesn’t matter if someone wants to create a mansion. Anyone can do it. Now think for yourself...how many people really would? Our truth of happiness would no longer be skewed by the pressure to present an image of wealth. Think for yourself, what would you do? I would be interested to know.

But how would things get done? Why would anyone work if they didn’t have to work?
It is in our nature to create, to think, to develop, and to do mundane chores. But now it would be with the desire and interest to do so, not the mandate. Imagine if everyone were set free to explore there truly personal interests, gifts and passions. Would things still get done? You bet! With an excitement and love unparalled by the motivation of any paycheck.

What about the things nobody wants to do?
If they are necessary tasks for the society, that in itself would be motivation for people to organize to see that they get it done as responsibility shared by all. As another writer on an abolish money plan stated...if shared, only a few hours would need to be done by many instead of a few having to do it all.

Why would people want to give up the power they have with their money?
My response to that is, who really wants artificially granted power? Is a CEO truly more powerful because he knows how to buy politicians and lie on his balance sheet? Is that more power? Consider if the shift goes from the “artificial” power of a few to the widescale empowerment of all. Imagine what type of place would that be to live in? Can you feel the rush of energy? joy? satisfaction and fulfillment?

What about those who don’t want to work? Don’t want to contribute?
We already have those folks don’t we? Consider how much cheaper and easier for us to care for them if we don’t have to focus on raising money and creating systems to do so. Again, an opportunity for true freedom of choice. We do have enough resources and technology for all. Matter of fact, people who don’t want to work save some resources and energy by not working. This also removes all judgement about what is work. Doesn’t being a philosopher or just spending time being social add to society? This also opens the doors for parents to spend time with and care for their children, for children to care for their elderly adults, for any number of expressions of life...not just what makes a “profit”.

What other benefits are there to abolishing the money system?
Spend a little time in your own fantasy around this. But here are a few I see:
You no longer have to live where your job is or where you can afford it...you can live where your friends and family are, thereby strengthening communities.
Without a profit incentive, I doubt that we would be bombarded with fast food, perhaps health and overall nutrition would improve.
Entertainment without commercials.
More truth.
Scientists working together to share ideas to create the very best, instead of in competition.
Manufacturing working together to create the best.
Things made to last.
Decreases in money driven crimes like prostitution, stealing, white collar crime etc.
More sharing...why does each individual need a lawn mower when one per neighborhood would do the trick?
More opportunity and time for education of a variety of subjects. No longer a need to focus into one expertise.
No tax forms to fill out.
All the energy of financial institutions would be moved back into society (did you know that 10 of the TOP 50 Public Companies are financial institutions. That is how much energy we are putting into supporting this system.)
The pursuit of life instead of money.

Let me just give an example of the difference this could make. Say you want to build a house. In the money free system, you find open land, go to the manufacturers and get materials (again, there would still be manufacturers, because there are people who enjoy making things), work with people to gather what you need - remember, we don’t need to clear cut a whole forest just so the lumber yard can make a profit by storing (hoarding) all this wood, you just have to get the materials you need for your house. Then gather a group of people who enjoy building houses. How do you find these people, you ask. Instead of a marketing/advertising system, there would be an information and resource system...but since its not profit based, instead of being manipulative...it would just be informative and truthful. (What a concept!) Ok...so you cooperate with others and create your house.



In todays system, lets talk about all the additional costs that need to be folded in to take care of people who need to make money....because we are in a money system.

Find a realtor to sell you the land. We won’t even go into people having “ownership over natural resources like oil, gas, land and water...(you can think for yourself the questionable logic of that.) Now in this process alone, we need to account for the realtor’s commission, the escrow fees, the financial institutions mortagage and interest payments, appraisal fees, inspection fees and taxes. I’m sure there is more, but that gives you an idea of how much has been tacked onto the process.

Then the materials to build. The manufactured equipment has had to go through a wholesale, distributor and retailer...all adding their percentage to the cost. Then you are also paying for the pensions and wonderfully high salaries of the upper management of these companies. Also as we mentioned before, the lumber company has been busily clear cutting because its more profitable for them to do things in bulk.

Then your construction crew needs money of course, cause they have bills to pay. They also need their insurance taken care of and in the cost of that insurance, you are paying for the insurance company’s salaries, expenses and the wonderfully high salaries they pay their executives. Then there are the contractor’s license fees, building permits, inspections again, labor union fees for electrical, plumbing etc.

I know I’m not even touching on everything, but this is the weight we’ve added to everything we do just to support a money system. And outside of this example, just think of retail, what used to be a simple formula of supply and demand is now a system of having to CREATE a demand in order for the system to grow. So we are constantly bombarded with things we don’t need being made to believe we need them.

Just to touch on this concept of having to create a demand here are just a few things to consider:
Two booming industries are the fast food industry and diet industry.
If the pharmaceutical industry is growing, it means there are more people getting sick rather than well. And the pharmaceutical industry has an incentive to grow.
Low quality products definitely create a demand for more.
We’ve seen the “synergy” created between analysts, accountants and corporate execs. The belief/fear created was you better make a big nest egg to survive your retirement, the way to do that is go into the stock market and HOLD ON for the long term - the analysts supported those fears and beliefs...meantime the executives have cashed out and well we know the end to that story.
The credit card system is actively helping everyone get everything the want, they are giving these low rates and encourage everyone to buy (artificial demand) after the debt is built up beyond paying back quickly, guess what is going to happen? You betcha, the interest rates will jump up again, and guess who’s stuck?

I could go on for days...but this should be enough to get you thinking. Can we afford to continue this system? I think not.

Comments and discussion would be greatly appreciated!!

Tuesday 26 October 2010

Governments thick and fast in eradicating poverty. Exterminate poor people. Problem solved.

Governments around the world are near to the solution of eradicating poverty. World rejoice. Exterminate poor people what best way there is, in Britain, in Europe, in USA all have laid out their illustrious plans, budget cuts name it and along with governments, myriad entrepreneurs scrutinize elaborate schemes, steadfast on the tracks of making poverty history. Constantly checking up in their records the rate of success, the poor extermination rate and on the other side what goes hand-in-hand with, their record on their success of making money. Their annual returns of revenue match step-by-step with how many individuals have sent to an early grave. Eradicating poverty? Problem solved.

From the front-runners micro-lending, their reach worldwide. What its inventor has started, was taken up to new heights. Its creator Muhammand Yunus, recipient of the 2006 Nobel Peace Prize, unaware of what he has unleashed upon this earth, the weapon to feed the unquenched voracious appetite of the making more-and-more money accolytes that would drive deeper and deeper into despair individuals around the globe till they can not take any more, they could not stretch their boundaries any further and will bounce back with such a force, a tsunami that would lead to their demise.

The new heights of entreprneurship WONGA in Britain. It charges a typical 2689% APR, and though they are explaining, the reason for charging such an exorbitant APR, reveal the inner workings of societies engrossed in the path that leads to devoted on-the-know practioners, shrewd entrepreneurs in ammassing unreal fortunes.

They are taking compounding of interest to its extremes, every service offered in annualised rate of charge, compounded by the hour or even at increments smaller than an hour, there are barely any limits, to yield astronomical returns when annualised! All for the sake of a constant pursuit of making more and more money.

As the loan period gets shorter, the more times you have to multiply and compound interest to make it into a theoretical annual figure what reveals the underlying scam, what is responsible for the plight of countries worldwide, the crisis they are in, what makes the world a haven for lawnsharks, whether these are small-time WONGA lawn sharks or big-time sovereign lenders, compounding interest.

That is what is quoted in wikipedia, regarding the history of compound interest.

"Compound interest was once regarded as the worst kind of usury, and was severely condemned by Roman law, as well as the common laws of many other countries. [2]

The Qur'an explicitly mentions compound interest as a great sin. Usury (oppressive interest), known in Arabic as "riba", is considered wrong:
“ O ye who believe! Devour not usury, doubling and quadrupling (the sum lent). Observe your duty to Allah, that ye may be successful. ”

— Qur'an 3:130

In one passage, the Bible addresses the charging of interest in the following manner:
“ Take no usury or interest from him; but fear your God, that your brother may live with you. You shall not lend him your money for usury, nor lend him your food at a profit. ”

— Leviticus 25:36-37"

Tuesday 12 October 2010

Businesses embracing creativity?

I read the post "Innovate or Die: Why creativity is economic priority number one"

let my chaotic mind create ... What is create? Is it, all there is to be of creativity, the creativity that is worth for individuals, only in the field of big-dollar economy? That it worths more than any other manifestation that creativity can assume.

Certainly not. Mark Mcguiness, the author of the article, I am reading now, points out one more aspect of creativity. As he mentions that

"Did all those hard-nosed business people suddenly decide there was more to life than capitalism and give up chasing dollars so they could express their artistic soul?"

... another aspect of creativity, the 'artistic soul'. Which by the way, it doesn't look that the author thinks, that 'hard-nosed business people' appreciate creativity that much, as they will not give up the chase of the dollars for the sake of creativity.

The chase of the dollars, and in its altar creativity is sacrificed, a crime perpetrated, the abuse of creativity. A drive towards taking advantage of creativity and with that the creators, to squeeze every dollar possible out of innovations, and once it is done, creativity and creators become a burden, a refuse material which can be discarded at will.

Creativity, its very use, lasts, as far as dollars are made. Tainted creativity, more likely, deeply seated in the monstrosity they call economy? Economy is about people, lives of individuals and not the dollars, that hard-nosed business people, will make.

What kind of creativity is that, which is forced, single-minded, streamlined to the all-consuming priority, to make more dollars for the hard-nosed business-people. What kind of products and services would such creativity sustains?

The priority being not how would better people, how would people enjoy the products and services the hard-nosed business people offer, but how many dollars the hard-nosed business people will make out of it.

Creativity thus employed where its goal is to make big business people more dollars, will fail as it will constantly ignore and go against the aspect of products and services, people are interested in as such a perspective is not included by the providers.

The so-called creativity to be used to dupe and manipulate people, to disguise the products and services on offer, all in the name of the gain of even more dollars. A respite, that forces people to spit out and reject the products and services thus provided.

I should paraphrase the example of the new land of creative opportunity being the tip of the very large economic iceberg. The economic iceberg which its bulk made out of people and their lives that the big-dollar economy at the tip takes advantage of, using creativity as the means to ammass enormous profits, forgetfull of the fact of what makes, what sustains the tip, is the people that without them there would be no iceberg at all.

Economy is, and it has always been about people, that make up the bulk of icebergs, and without them, there would be no hard-nose business people, either.

Sunday 22 August 2010

Economy: thin or ..thick value.

--


"The real crisis isn't about bankers, bonuses, and bailouts— " ..is reported in the article "America's Lost Decade(s)" by Umair Haque hosted by the Harvard Business Review

..is that so?

"— it's about an economy that's geared to create thin value; value that's artificial, meaningless, and often, actually worth little, in human terms. " .. continues.

Bankers, bonuses, and bailouts, asking for, gagging someone would say, survive out of an economy that creates thin value.

An economy that creates value, which is artificial, meaningless, that worth little in human terms, is geared out of "bankers, bonuses, and bailouts".

..and economists that do not dare to go beyond what the "bankers, bonuses, and bailouts" want, careful not to bite the hand that feeds them, and it is not because the economists say so, it is because the people had enough and the economists merely interpret the will of people, and they interpret it from the viewpoint of the "bankers, bonuses, and bailouts".

As they would never bite the hands that feeds them, only giving away the little bit, only enough to calm things down, sustaining economies of thin value.

"So the real challenge isn't about eking out another penny of profit by laying off more another hundred people, offshoring with an even greater ferocity, crushing your fiercest rival more savagely, or churning out more lowest-common-denominator "product." "

Yes, the challenge is there. But who is to take it. Certainly not, the "bankers, bonuses, and bailouts", hooked in eking out another penny of profit.

"It's about learning to create thicker value: authentic value, that endures, resonates, and multiplies. "

Learning to create thicker value. Is it a matter of learning? What kind of learning-inducing environment is there? Does the state provide for such an environment? Are the conditions adequate for such environment to exist?

"..for-profit colleges received more than $4 billion in Pell Grants and more than $20 billion in federal loans provided by the Department of Education" .. is reported in page "For-Profit Colleges: Undercover Testing Finds Colleges Encouraged Fraud and Engaged in Deceptive and Questionable Marketing Practices."

The U.S. Government Accountability Office report, bears witness what kind of value such investment has produced. Thin? That would have being something, at least, but more likely negative value.

And such a process is going on and on, every time and everywhere, what makes me wonder. Are they so thick that they would never learn? Or the 'thickness' factor is transfered from the value prerogative to their mental faculties. Incapable of learning. The state, its executives, hard on their heels into producing thinner and thinner value.

The state that is supposed to be, that it is there for the people. Governments that are voted in office, by people.

"Unless, of course, you think you can survive another lost decade."

Lost decade? Who has lost it? Certainly not the "bankers, bonuses, and bailouts". The people?

If the people, who cares!
Certainly not the "bankers, bonuses, and bailouts" and probably not the economists.