Global Macro / Markets / Investing:
- How Amazon Wins: By Steamrolling Rivals and Partners – WSJ
- For millions of jobless, Christmas is a season to endure, not celebrate – Straits Times
- Dow Jones Futures: Trump Threatens To Veto ‘Disgrace’ Of A Stimulus Deal – Investors
- Amazon and Walmart have raked in billions in additional profits during the pandemic, and shared almost none of it with their workers – Brookings
- 1% of the population owns almost half of the world’s wealth – The Swamp
- Pandemic crushes global supply chains, workers at both ends – AP News
- World food prices are at a six-year high – Economist
Americas:
- Let Them Eat Cake: Congress Approves a $900 Billion Stimulus Package, Billions in Pork Funds, Federal Employees Get a Raise – Bitcoin News
- Trump’s longtime banker at Deutsche Bank resigns – Reuters
- COVID-19 spending bill passes with controversial streaming bill tacked on – Engadget
- In pandemic America’s tent cities, a grim future grows darker – Reuters
- The ugly part of the $900 billion stimulus bill – CNN
- During crucial holiday season, US consumer confidence slumps – AP News
Europe:
- European tech accuses US of using sanctions to shut it out of China – FT
- Irish fear loss of British potatoes post Brexit – Politico
- European stocks steady as worries over new Covid-19 strain ease – Edge Markets
- U.K., EU Near Brexit Trade Deal, Officials Say – WSJ
- Brexit deal or no deal, food bills are about to get a lot more expensive – The Conversation
- UK borrowing hits the highest November level on record – BBC
Asia:
- Elderly 2.0: China looks to tap digital ‘silver dollar’ – France24
- China’s WeRide Raises $200M From Yutong – The Techee
- Asian stocks gain after Trump criticizes economic aid bill – Republic World
- China says firmly opposes U.S. bill that could remove Chinese firms from U.S. exchanges – Reuters
- The real cost of ocean freight out of Asia is hitting ‘unbelievable’ heights – The Load Star
Trans-Tasman:
- Australian Government declares NBN ‘built and fully operational’; quarter of a million homes can’t even reach 25 mbps – Aus Droid
- Balancing Act: Qantas reaps $1bn from taxpayers, but jobs, flights, fares all up in the air – Michael West
- ‘We can’t be complacent’: Queensland Premier marks 100 days without community transmission – ABC
- Stop believing in fairy tales: Australia’s coal industry doesn’t employ many people or pay its fair share of tax – The Guardian
- Kevin Rudd to register under foreign influence scheme but labels government guidance ‘absurd’ – The Guardian
- WA coastline facing marine heatwave in early 2021, CSIRO predicts – The Guardian
- Australian health officials scramble after Qantas crew member tests Covid-positive – The Guardian
- Australians more worried about Covid recession than health impacts, polling shows – The Guardian
- Michael Pascoe: Government playing Santa – money for beer – New Daily
Latest posts by Unconventional Economist (see all)
- Return of the bank of mum and dad - March 4, 2021
- Migration agent: International education is an immigration scam - March 4, 2021
- Australia’s trade surplus soars to new high - March 4, 2021
Have a merry, happy and safe Christmas all of you chunz and look after yourselves and have a very happy New Year.
Where ya been?!?! Merry Xmas wilb
And a very Merry Christmas to you too Miggie.
(haven’t been anywhere so to speak, just sorted out a different account as a one off for Christmas in case the MB Grinch came and stole Christmas links… which wasn’t likely and didn’t happen 👍. But as Reusa says, always carry a cub-scout. Sorry. I mean condom. Sorry. I mean be prepared. 😁)
No doubt I confused the #@#$&%# out of [email protected] in doing so too – or this comment is about too. 😇
Bwaaahaaahaahaa well played
Mig, you are a colorful man. Why don’t you multiply yourself? One day you are going to regret it.
Don’t be coward.
Yup, ya had me bamboozled, started thinking it was possible about 9am today but thought I was being paranoid and pushed it from my mind lol. I went as far as google translating the name and wasn’t sure if it was meant to be Weekend Reading Bitter or Weekend Reading, please (erroneous r on “bitte”).
Either way fckn fkn ya prick lol
You’ve got it. It’s both Please and Bitter! Puntastic right!
And lolzzzzzzzzzz: “You must be new around here”… ROFLd at that one. 😂😘
I had pause on that one too but decided to roll with it because it still worked for the self deprecating aspect. You’re totally just feeding my paranoia now lol, gtta trust my 1st instincts. Next person that’s unlucky enough to laugh near me on the train will probably cop a serve from me thinking it’s you trolling me in real life.
Edit: P.S. unacknowledged handle switching is the domain of peasants, a la rich42. Or are you totes as well?!?!
Nun of the above. As to who’s who, I’m not even sure if Totes is only 1 person sometimes! 😉
Same to all of yous
Merry Christmas to you all
same from me FCKN.
Thanks for sock tip. Can’t go past a good sock recommendation – ordered three pairs 🙂 Happy NY to you!
What the yellow fat bald guy said. But remember to drink quality booze too. 🍸🍺🍻🍷🍹🍶👍😁
WATCH LIVE: Prime Minister @BorisJohnson outlines details of the future partnership with the EU. https://t.co/arhr3DpsTh
https://twitter.com/10DowningStreet/status/1342125189769916416?s=19
Remember Brexit, guys?
Just so everyone gets a sense of just how much Christmas bull the Government is loading onto Stranded Australians
This is the message they sent out at 1800 on Christmas eve
and this is my wifes experience
and a bit later
(Ahh who knew the toughies of MB have sweet sides?)
Merry Christmas from the Torana, vroom vroom.
That is awful 🙁
Gunna – as I said last night in response to your same post, Mathias’s life matters and pfft to the great unwashed!!!
Sorry to hear it mate. Must be galling to hear the usual suspects go on about how they’re getting Aussies home for Christmas when you’re experiencing this.
That is horrible.
I still don’t understand why the Australian government don’t send a Qantas plane over to pick them up : that’s what every other country on earth does.
+1
Because they are not international students nor international property investors
+1
Because Scomo is an incompetent cünt.
+1,000 but worse than incompetent.
they are not foreign students.
And they are not Mathias Cormann (according to SFM, too precious to be exposed ScoVID in Europe, so SFM gives him a taxpayer-tab jet to get around in?) or Tony Abbott (a diplomatic passport is apparently standard issue for ex-PMs and therefore they are free to come and go as they like?) or anyone else in the LNP game of mates?
Remember lifters vs leaners?
I watch a dutch youtuber stuck in Peru. The dutch government arranged klm to supply a free flights to repatriate citizens: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CnTizfQPnpg
What a difference…
I don’t understand, as one of the links points out, how they are receiving big taxpayer subsidies w.r.t JobKeeper and others but are charging that amount for a seat as well?
Appropriate Salutations to you all.
May all your wishes for mass disease spread amongst parliamentarians come true.
Love your work sir and merry what ever you call it day to all of you and families.
What a lovely story!
https://www.news.com.au/sport/sports-life/tragic-twist-for-kazakhstan-bodybuilder-who-married-a-sex-doll/news-story/a820636d8aef00acd1da5f12c7057c14
These dolls are almost at an advanced enough stage of pleasure deliverance that I might get myself a few and put on some parties.
I’m totally looking forward to the day we don’t need real chicks around annoying us anymore, other than when we want to breed, if that’s your thing. But maybe by then we’ll be able to use the dolls to form our progeny.
And Merry Christmas to you too!
And a a happy new Monroe-bot
Doll beater ?
He caught her staring at other men!
Cock eyed
She couldn’t look away!
Not suprising considering Sex with him always left her feeling deflated
Australia has two things. High House Prices and Draconian Marriage Laws.
Both are designed to extract money. Men are better off being independent.
We are heading down the path of Japan. Its starting already.
The Energy in Australia will start to run out soon. It already is.
Nah, boot’ll be on the other foot – you useless fckns totally redundant. 🙂 Happy New Year Tony.
Michael Hudson and Pepe Escobar discuss rent seeking the most active part of our economies…………showed me how little I knew about China internals
https://thesaker.is/a-hard-look-at-rent-and-rent-seeking-with-michael-hudson-pepe-escobar/
This is very much in line with why the Japanese kicked out the Jesuits and RCC Priests, back in the day, sorta the vanguard of opening up a nation to merchant classes back home under the guise of progress, liberties and freedoms. Problem with all that is Access[tm] E.g. your personal wealth dictates what level of access you can have.
Per Russia I think Mark Ames did a good job on the transition albeit in a Thompson-esque style, firstly the neoliberals lied to Russia about going broke in their own currency [silly Marxists] after setting the stage over price manipulation of some commodities and attempted a corporate driven takeover of the nations resources. Putin ended that project and earned himself the ire of those that had expectations of untold wealth.
The kicker now is these same sorts are driving Russia and China to a more common mutual relationship, see recent bomber flight … so much for the whole new American century pogrom.
Ever read James Clavell’s Shogun, Skip?
One of my all time favorites.
😂😂
Are you laughing at the thought of Skip engaging in a bit of Non Fiction?
He is always recommending authors but no fiction authors cone to mind.
Thanks to his recommendation I have been consuming a lot of Mirowskis content.
Not as much rollicking adventures but still Fun stuff.
Nah mate I’m laughing at the last time you told me this 😁
Re my Ronin cultural appropriation
they did go bankrupt in their own currency
Bah humbug to you too 👀
Their printer ran out of ink?
Trade and Political deflation proceeded.
Wellie … for polysci reasons I’m about to have Xmas lunch at a Oz mates house, that used to run a few English Uni depts in China, now his mothers at home caretaker, still teaches online. Anywho he’s having a few Chinese students over for lunch and said I could pop by, just a dog walk away.
Better than the old exes family ones … where here Pyrmont sister is cracking the bottle at 7am, youngest brother sleeps off last night on the couch, and sister starts to devolve around 12 noon, which inevitably puts off everyone else with her group therapy theater and everyone pretends it good quality family time – at the end of the day … loooooool ….
Although had a good time with my boys last night after a BBQ of marinated rib filet in lea&perrins, garlic, salt&pepper, tabasco, and schofferhofer beer, accompanied by sweet corn in the husk with rubbed in butter, salt&pepper and a dash of La Chinata sweet smoked paprika, baked potato in the jacket served with hickory smoked bacon, sour cream, colby, and chives, followed by an American bbq salad drizzled with sweet chipolata dressing …..
My happy thought for the holidays is all the kids are working in good jobs and the year 11 boy just got an apprenticeship with Volvo CE … everything else after that is just gravy …
That food sounds good.
“Old ex”? Your paramedic wife with mh issues?
Yes.
Scotty laying with dogs and getting (more likely passing on) fleas https://www.vanityfair.com/style/2020/12/hillsong-church-new-abusive-behavior-allegations
Seriously whacko jacko?
A who bunch of stuff came out about Hillsong in the child abuse royal commission. Didn’t get the run in the media it deserved. Nasty outfit in my view.
No jiffy fire lighters?
No worries,
https://twitter.com/ErmoPlumber/status/1342250397553971200?s=09
And here I thought you were breaking out the oxy-torch…. alas, no such luck! 😜
HRH
“Most years I would be speaking to you after a cheerful Christmas lunch shared with family, close friends and staff.
This year, however, I am addressing you after a 3-hour ‘virtual Royal Christmas lunch’ on Zoom. Jesus Fkng Christ. I’ve been through a bit in my time, but trying to fake polite conversation with your idiot family members over a shaky internet connection is a new low. If it weren’t for a f#cktonne of Pimms I don’t think I would’ve made it past the entrees.
One minute Charles is banging on and on and on about his new vegetable patch. The next Harry is spinning some woke Bullsh!tabout privilege. And then of course Andrew – well, he wanted everyone to know that the 16 year-old Scotch whiskey he was drinking actually seems older in real life. Sure it does.”
https://twitter.com/TheShovel/status/1342239680994013186?s=19
Pope Francis:
“Last Sunday, I called attention to this problem, underlining that consumerism has hijacked Christmas,” … No! Christmas must not be reduced to just a sentimental or consumerist feast (that is) full of gifts and good wishes but poor in Christian faith and poor in humanity as well.”
One wishes that the infallible Lord in his Palace and fine robes could be taken seriously in these things..
Yeah, but someone had to say it.
I know I will this arvo at the xmas lunch but it will just get palmed off as a drunken uncle incident, with everyone faking the yuletide dreams and aspirations refusing to humbug. We need as many people to say it as possible.
Today I’ll suggest the carrying of crosses and whipping and crown of thorns march would be more suitable.
Follow in the steps of our Lord, except for all the poverty and crucifixion and stuff
“except for all the poverty”
service to the poor was a large part of the message.
I keep getting goaded into it, but not today.
“service to the poor” that why Shifty from Marketing is hell bent on making us all poor so he can outsource the services to apparently support us in his good Christian way.
Socks and jocks should be enough for all. And none of those fancy ones either. Just some solid ones that make it through to next Christmas and then join the mighty rag bag.
Fancy some fancy, solid, ones that last? Not ’til next Christmas… but into the 2030’s? These are what I’m wearing right now. Bought them over 10 years ago – about two-dozen pairs. Never bought socks since. Not one. I even run in them.
Some needing a little darning at one point. More than half haven’t. Amazed they still make ’em.
https://www.davidjones.com//20577395/Merino-Cushion-Foot-Socks-Regular.html
Note: these specific socks, not the brand generally, is the key here. These aren’t your usual ‘health’ socks. They’re actual socks that happen to be uber comfy and tick that ‘health’ rubbish box too. And other socks from the same maker with similar features do not have the same feel or comfort btw.
My inner tight arse balks at $27 socks. It grasps the longevity argument yet can’t get past the sticker shock.
If your inner tight arse gets a say in the cost of socks, you’re doing it wrong.
“Market forces” and why “philanthropy” (queue jumping) should be illegal:
https://www.theage.com.au/world/north-america/wealthy-patients-scramble-for-covid-19-vaccine-if-i-donate-25000-would-that-help-me-20201219-p56oxz.html
Yep. There is an issue with rich people thinking there are two sets of rules.
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2020-12-24/coronavirus-queensland-super-yacht-woman-northern-beaches-man/13010536
Where is Mr. Potatoehead and his merry crew of on water boat stoppers ?
Send the lot to Xmas Island and send the little Sri Lankan family back to Biloela
My current pinned Tweet speaks the the BS that is philanthropy.
It offers no real solutions.
Well funded democratically decided actions will.
That requires more Taxation not less.
https://twitter.com/ErmoPlumber/status/1325910269218889728?s=19
That was a great clip, enjoyed watching it again. There’s few things more infuriating than seeing the 0.001% crowd go on about their philanthropy when you know they have paid zero tax.
Happier days lay in waste
But lest not in haste thus forsake
Our shared experience and entangle
In bitter and raging recriminations our
Shared hope forestalled
Its Christmas, after all…
What does a clock do when it’s hungry?
Goes back 4 seconds.
Go drunk, you’re home….
Well, nearly twenty to four, and only 50+ comments… the shutins surely know how to party!
I suspect heaps of lurking but hesitation to comment as shut ins don’t want to admit they’re shut ins that have no life (like myself) or are shut ins that use MB to escape their life (like TTW 😘)
I’ve been up since 6.30am preparing for Christmas day lunch.
Been on the p!ss since 11 am and I’ve snuck away from the in-laws and rest of the family for a quick lay down before pudding.
Sigh,…the wife’s into me to get up after only 20 mins.
Only 6 or 7 hours of drinking to go before I get to kick everyone out.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fA95LlZ3v4U
I hope you are enjoying a good wine and not that bogon beer stuff blue collar types often can’t advance past!
Cooked two sets of meals yesterday and managed to multi-task an MB Christmas FIRST in there this early AM too. Along with a couple of bottles of red. Today’s recovery and sock guidance day, thank Christ. 😇
Hope all the dental drama is sorted by New Years. You can do some extra catch up drinking then.
The socket has plugged up well enough that I gave up on not drinking lol. Half a bottle of appleton estate reserve down the hatch.
Nothing worse then a dry socket be careful, drink on one side of your mouth, with your head sideways
I’m using an old tomato sce squeezie bottle to jet the booze down the good side and straight down the gullet. A little bit unpleasant but the booze sure helps the pain. I miss codeine 😪
That’s enterprising, well done young man
Servo out of straws too?
Apparently sucking cylinders makes it real easy to dislodge the plug and expose the socket again.
Fair call. It’s just I would have gone with a Gatorade bottle for the other option and assumed there was a reason that wouldn’t be acceptable. They are literally designed so the content doesn’t have to touch any enamel at all.
Servo can’t be out of them too? 😉
I used to hold the plug down with my tongue and pour alcohol down the other side of my throat and that’s after getting the dry socket repacked with some really nasty shyt
I’m not smart enough for specialised bottles
PS You’re not wrong!
Griswolds back to back on 7 tonight
All is good with the world for one night
Yes, although I’m not pleased with the sequencing. Vacation being shown before Christmas Vacation on Christmas Day? I appreciate it’s chronologicaly correct in terms of the movie release dates, but come on, it’s fvckn Christmas Day! Christmas Vacation should come first.
I agree
mmmmm … Christie Brinkley… plus the Mum is smoking hot as well.
Great tit s and proud of them too
It’s Xmas for every one
Well I think she looks great!
https://www.news.com.au/lifestyle/real-life/backpacker-asked-to-leave-bondi-restaurant-over-not-acceptable-outfit/news-story/a217d8301b4f8df3985f957351ed6eeb
(If you didn’t zoom in you’re a homo)
She was wearing too many garments apparently
Backpacker? Aren’t borders closed? Shouldn’t that strumpet be hard at work picking fruit?
Picking or handies it’s all considered a skill shortage
She should be picking something allright!
I fkn love Christmas ham.
You’ve certainly come to the right establishment this evening Sir/Madam/Your choice (of NOTA), please allow me to seat you over here…
What’s the problem with Government’s immigration policy re snowmen? (snowpeople)
Not enough carrot, too much stick and zero emphasis on renewables.
My cracker joke was about snowmen and carrots.
“Why was the snowman found in the carrot patch in the garden?”
“He was picking his nose!”
*Chortle*
Where do English stockbroking snowpeople go to the bathroom?
In an ig loo.
Tonight’s album: Still Alive and Well by Johnny Winter.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QdB3msFJWyM
On to the Pixies. Best of then Doolittle.
https://open.spotify.com/playlist/4Zl6QHo4tYbUwnz4rz5uje?nd=1
Good point you patronising fvck.
Happy Global December Holidays.
I move MB anoints TTW as the Saint Patronizing Fūck of the Extended Weekend Links.
Yes but you forgot good-looking, and successful. And modest.
Happy belated Birth of the Dewish Saviour Day to you too.
The boys of the NYPD choir are singing Galway Bay.
Don’t let the Bells End!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lrVg1toMzuo
The Stocking Song.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KmjHevZOC90
That Steel panther number really captures the spirit of Christmas.
I’m gunna play that to my wife when we go to bed.
Merry Christmas!
Straight back at ya Harry.
Where you been all day?
Making spinach frittata, and eggplant and haloumi salad, and greek salad, and stuff.
Now that explains the grumpy.
Mistress For Christmas!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7doBMyEH_Ug&list=LLJLJQn3z_2yPhYioTtHt8Iw&index=2644
We Three Kings
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ctTVcYMYXLA
Don’t forget the Little drummer Boy,
https://youtu.be/w6uYYgYIxLs
Such natural chemistry.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n9kfdEyV3RQ
Twas the Night Before Christmas
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EFUgRRYmLvk
“reusachtigeMEMBER
December 25, 2020 at 8:50 pm
I hope you are enjoying a good wine and not that bogon beer stuff blue collar types often can’t advance past!”
Well Reusa I did have a glass of Red from a 2014 vintage that is supposed to be worth more than a few hundred bucks a bottle today and found it to taste equally as shyte as the cheap stuff Ill occasionally quaff. (usually only when I run out of beer)
It was so average in fact that I had to wash it down with a delicious cold beer chaser.
https://twitter.com/ErmoPlumber/status/1342313058379579393?s=19
How bout f#@^ right off?
“Scott Morrison should act as international students stay away, says ANU chief’
https://www.theage.com.au/politics/federal/scott-morrison-should-act-as-international-students-stay-away-says-anu-chief-20201223-p56ppp.html
On campus “quarantine”! 😂😅😀🤣
What could possibly go wrong??
Or maybe he’d be happy to put them all up at his vineyard near Canberra?
the covids has taken over your brians
Brian was a better look when he was playing with his telescopes.
Brian is doing the needful. Says the government is not listening and the edumigration industry feels that they need a nobel prize winner in the media to get traction.
They don’t stop trying do they?
Notice he doesn’t say that they actually need to make it safe, just that they need to CONVINCE the chief health officers it’s safe. Translation: “I don’t understand why they’re not buying it, we have never had trouble selling our bull$h1t before.”
Also between the lines he’s saying he’s cool with plague ghettos. What happens in case of an outbreak ffs?!
Fvk‘ innovative’ solutions. COVID doesn’t give a fvk about your innovation.
Edumigration industry trotting out the same tired article again and again… 40 billion export industry… quarantine in student residences…. lose market share to UK an Canada…. blah blah
I would be surprised if there will any new international students come in for S1 this year.
Let it burn burn burn.
My Wife tried to make me go to Rehab
But I said no, no, no
Was it rehab or did she just say go to bed and stop lurking MB? Lol either way, I feel this song is appropriate.
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=m0CAJqCT5ds
Merry Christmas shutins! Hope you and your families had a good one.
And a special Merry Christmas to the MB boys. A great effort this year!
Was your xmas day better than this famous holiday event?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lf3mgmEdfwg
Mine started badly by writing Xmas on the cards. Didn’t know people would find it that offensive.
Whoa! You found people that are offended by Xmas instead of Christmas? In 2020? Jesus wept…
Well, just the one. Insulting the day was the phrase. Apparently there’s lots of reborn types who don’t like it. Got an uncle who went from alki to standing for parliament with a religious based party. Did worse than SAP. He didn’t mind, but he’s always thought I’m going to hell anyway.
No more writing of the cards for me. Winning.
Oh, and you’re going to hell for “Jesus wept”. T’is why I always say Jebus. Loopholes matter.
I’m not an idolator, I don’t believe any of that sh!t 😂
Shortest sentence in the bible.
Who do you have to marry to get in on that?
I always like to point out that Christmas is the celebration of Santa’s Birthday.
It really annoys the practicing Catholic Mother and Father in-law and the Pentecostal Brother and Sister in-law but no more than their talking about Jebus on Christmas annoys me.
Well for Dog’s sake never say greed when the little kids get asked what Xmas day is about.
You’ll quickly get ushered outside to the drunken uncles and one p!ss funny wine aunty gathering in the backyard that always seems to be so much more fun.
Whoa…you poor bugger, that’s way too much religion around you. I hope you don’t catch it.
Taking Christ out of Christmas ya scumbag!
It’s a hill I’m willing to die on.
Done.
All good.
No you slobbering ignorant syphillitic swine. X is a representaton of the Chi Rho which was the Greek symbol for the Christ.
Dipsh!ts
LOLOLOL
Lol lo lo lo lo lol, lol lo lol lo lol, lo lo lol lo lol, lo lol lo loool lo lol lo. 😇😘🎅
Yeah Reusa,…ya dipsh!t.
What the hell happened to Dominic???
Changed his nick name and kept on trucking?
Mathias?
I just read Mathias’ comment on here and thought “what a knob”, so you may be onto something….
Christmass – massive remotely detonated bomb set off in Nashville knocking out AT&T- warned public for 1 hour to clear the area with audio recording played speakers.
Oof – so it begins.
So what? What has begun?
Second cøming of Elvis?
Civil war…
Reichstag fire…
Not sure what’s actually happening here.
https://mobile.twitter.com/tomwaterhouse/status/1342219923158798336
Is that alpaca winking?
Far out I hate that guy. His whole family can gagf.
Legend! I hope they are all his relations. Good on him.
You’re into those demon romance novels eh?
Including the goats!?
Whatever puts a smile on your goat, bloke!
Is that a mountain goat?
I didn’t realise the collective noun for a group of llamas was harem
He’s choking that goat out!
The backpackers are doing their bit to ensure no one cares if they get underpaid or harassed-https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-9087227/Police-called-popular-beach-disperse-Christmas-Day-revellers-Sydney-cluster-grows.html
Drunken Brits obviously but zero information from all news sources. Cant have the backpackers called out for what and who they are can we.
Is it still illegal to sell piss or just too early?
“But it is not enough for governments to simply intervene as the spender of last resort when markets fail or crises occur. They should actively shape markets so that they deliver the kind of long-term outcomes that benefit everyone”
https://www.foreignaffairs.com/articles/united-states/2020-10-02/capitalism-after-covid-19-pandemic?utm_medium=social&utm_source=twitter_posts&utm_campaign=tw_daily_soc
This.
If it is OK for governments to intervene to maintain stability which serves the interests of the 1%, then they can bloody well intervene to provide outcomes for the 99%.
She’s great
“For one thing, finance is financing itself, thus eroding the foundation of long-term growth. Most of the financial sector’s profits are reinvested back into finance—banks, insurance companies, and real estate—rather than put toward productive uses such as infrastructure or innovation.”
Well meaning but completely deluded.
“But if governments instead focus only on ending the immediate pain, without rewriting the rules of the game, then the economic growth that follows the crisis will be neither inclusive nor sustainable.”
Sustainable! Hahahaha. Of course it’s not sustainable. How can there be never ending growth on a finite planet? MORON.
“Advanced economies had been suffering from major structural flaws”
Structural flaws? Yep. The structural flaw is declining available ENERGY at a price the economy can continue to grow. Most resources are at or near peak, and most have been declining for the last 40 years…..disguised only by ever-growing debt.
“The financial crisis was to a large extent caused by excessive credit flowing into the real estate and financial sectors, inflating asset bubbles and household debt rather than supporting the real economy and generating sustainable growth.”
‘Sustainable growth’. Side-splitting stuff.
“long-term investments in green energy” blah blah blah…..
“Access to the Internet should be a right, not a privilege.” Double hahahaha.
Facts:
There simply is not the time or resources available to turn to so-called green energy – a complete con and a straw in the wind. A ton of feathers and a ton of oil may weigh the same….. ditto so-called renewables. Nothing can substitute for FFs.
Economic theory is complete crap. What we have and have always had is an energy-based economy from earliest times – apart from sunlight – first manual labour, then animals, slaves, wood, water, and on to coal, oil & gas….
Now the cost of the once-off energy from the millions-of-years-old stored ancient sunlight of FFs that we’ve pissed up against the wall of consumerist insanity of cruises, plastic kewpie dolls and landfill junk is becoming expensive to find and extract – and is frying the planet.
“This is how the United States got to the moon and back in 1969.” The US got to the moon and back on a once-off bonanza of unlimited cheap oil. Simple. Does anyone really believe it could be done by renewables?. Hahaha.
Unfortunately time’s up. End of the road times have arrived. Although it’s the gig workers who’re the first to suffer, this will soon spread to other sectors.
The article is right about one thing – disaster waits as early as 2030:
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2020-12-27/covid-dominated-2020-democracy-at-a-crossroads/13010694
Here’s a common sense explanation of what’s actually happening unclouded by the bullsh!t of economic [email protected]:
https://surplusenergyeconomics.wordpress.com/2020/12/08/186-the-objective-economy-part-three/
+several million
WITCH! BURN THE WITCH!
I remember The Economist magazine named Deng Xiao Ping and Margaret Thatcher as the two most influential people of the latter part of the 20th century because of their roles in the denationalisation / deregulation of the world’s economy. The argument was that up until the 70’s and 80’s the 20th century had seen an ongoing tightening of control by government over most economies (ex-the yanks, who were an outlier). Thatcher and Deng, by reversing that trend, had been able to release massive returns in productivity.
But over time those productivity gains progressively being released by more and more “neoliberalism” began to become marginally slim then negative.
The tide has actually been turning for some years, back away from the-market-knows-best, trickle-down dogma. I have to say the signs locally have been clear for a long time. Like with most things John Howard lacked the nuance to focus on the productivity gains, not on the dogma. He delivered such shockers as the privatisation of such assets as the airports, ie Sydney Airport, and he began the rort of bringing in cheap foreign labour to casualise and and underpay the workers. And hence we arrive today with the current bunch of political leaders, constantly tilting the playing field in favour of their insiders, at a massive cost to our economy.
I see a lot of comment on MB about how because denationalisation / deregulation is delivering net losses now what Thatcher and Deng (and the kiwis and Keating) did back then is also wrong. But in my view in the circumstances back then Deng and Thatcher had the right approach (Deng delivered brilliantly, Thatcher not so much). Xi is not half the leader Deng was but the Chinese have at least recognised another turning point now. Locally I suspect that the Scomo outfit is akin to Fraser’s mob pre-1983 in their cluelessness and it will take Labor reincarnate to do the job again.
“denationalisation / deregulation of the world’s economy” has ment the dedemocratization of the “Western democracies”
Without the existence of a “Global Democracy” who is overseeing and holding to account the Rulers of this “deregulated global economy”?
The responsibility of our elected National leaders is not to some bunch of lofty ideals/propaganda around internationalism or Global capitalism, their responsibility and duty is, supposed to be, to represent the interests of the citizens that have the right to Vote.
The thing that Thatcher and these Chinese dictators have most in common is their contempt for Democracy.
You’re coming from a political perspective, I’m attempting to come at it from a political economics perspective. I don’t know much about the pommy situation so I’ll stick to the Chinese one. The first thing Deng did was de-nationalise farming land, he also allowed local state-owned secondary and tertiary enterprises to transform into town and village enterprises. At that time the majority of Chinese lived in towns and villages (about 80%) and the amount of arable land per worker was a couple of acres. Most of them were sitting on their bums with no future, dependent entirely on the state handouts. Particularly from the TVEs came the development of much of China’s industrial sectors. By 2018 only 40% of Chinese lived in towns and villages, with virtually all who had moved to cities being productive workers. My personal opinion is that the Chinese leadership has lost the plot in recent years but that does not take away from what was achieved by Deng et al.
“Reagan proved deficits don’t matter”–Dick Cheney
“Dick Cheney proved hearts don’t matter” – Miguel
Calls for Socialism would never have been possible if it were not for the tireless work of our financial system.
Basic concrete social benefits, which IMO lowers the cost of doing business – is – not socialism.
How many drank the road to serfdom PR/Marketing kool-aid which foamed the runway for decades of neoliberalism, just look and Larry and Co now … shezzzzz~~~~
Road to lead you. Dumb mythefycke4
R
R
Lenin said that comment in reference to large banks ability to reach into every facet of the economy, but I meant in reference to the humungous bank welfare deployed to ‘save the system’ when ‘too big to fail’ banks run into the inevitable results of compounding returns in finite systems. The resulting destruction of sound money and the inequality it generates, is a necessary precondition for calls of greater and greater Government intervention into the economic equation of resource allocation.
Whilst many were filling their heads with drippings from Rand, Hayek, Chicago School boys, et al, remind me again about those that were on board with dereg and corporatist revolving door experts/too include friends in the judiciary [stocked pond], not to mention all the innovation, rational agent, public choice, unemployment was leisure time memes …. but some are going to bang on about socialism – ???? – FMD.
Furthermore its incumbent on you stew to articulate which variant of socialism your banging on about, its not a monolith, and seems some in your camp have promoted national socialism post GFC. See I don’t have a drama social democracy because its anti corporatist and anti neoliberal. Big difference …. eh …
Culture matters, it was the cultural origins of your Bugbear that have seen reporters, editors and more importantly their propietors decide which Economist or which economic theory of this or that, is adopted and run with by their institutions as ‘the narrative’. That is why were hear so much from Krugman and so little from Michael Hudson in “our” media.
As the culture and composition of our, or more importantly the US’s elites has changed, so too as the values set in decision making. This newly grafted head has steered and all the Judiciary, fellow boardmembers, and the remainder of your word salad, in the direction we now find ourselves.
BTW – it is not incumbent upon me to explain which particular form of socialism I am referring to, because all forms of Bolshevism spring from the same fountainhead:
Both Neoliberalism and Bolshevism might seem entirely unalike to you, but the truth is both are social ideas, that influence economic decision making.
Neoliberalism entices a society into solving the economic problem i.e. “How to best use a societies resources to solve its economic needs.” by divorcing all decision making from any social, cultural and ethnic norms, and use pure utilitarian economic principals. It stops a society from using its economic resources to perpetuate its cultural values. That is the purpose of Neoliberal economics – to divorce economic decision making, from unproductive pursuits that assist in the existing society perpetuate its culture.
Bolshivikism is simply another social engineering theory, in how a small minority can exert control over the masses, by erasing the majority of their culture and identity. It wasn’t Synagogues and Rabbi’s that were burned down or strung up from light poles in the revolution.
Stew ….
Same “Culture” was rampant in the 1800s up to the Great Depression, predates Marx, post WWII till the advent of neoliberalism becoming dominate in the mid 70s is the only period out side this “Culture” you keep referring too.
Its basically colonialism – corporatism – neoliberalism in the order of events, financialization is a cornerstone to each epoch, hence why the only short period post WWII was an outlier due to distribution factors and the lingering FDR policies on curbing excesses.
So for you too keep banging on about “Culture” is a bit vacuous at best, ill defined and completely without reference points to evaluate E.g. suggestive narrative crafting without any detailed historical attribution.
The part that some seem to ignore is the bit about colonialism and corporatism was its excesses were largely exported except for the always – ever present difficulties of slack labour, but even then they could be exported back in the day or inter nation. The rub is today these excesses in some developed countries has become inverted due to the lack of being able to export the excesses and the only game in town is to consume your own citizens E.g. inverted economic totalitarianism … cough … U.S. has something like 600 billionaires and contra to Forbes their are a few Trillionairs out in the wild.
The best bit is the environment which can’t be controlled, see Covid/AGW et al, will do a full Taleb on this “Culture” you are so emotionally ***devoted*** too …
Durrrrrrrrrr…. who funded that colonial expansion? Who funded the exploration and the colonies? Who encouraged it? So many new markets to open up to, so much opportunity to expand trade AND Debt.
The Fabian society and Cecil Rhodes were little more than catspaws for the J3wish Rothschild dynasty. All roads lead back to the true source of colonization – financial colonization.
BTW – 600 Billionaires is completely meaningless if they are little more than cultureless barbarians, enjoying their money and their privilege’s while floating along in the eddies of fellow Billionaires who are prepared to spend their billions influencing culture and bending society to their advantage over the long term – by which I mean generations.
“The Fabian society and Cecil Rhodes were little more than catspaws for the J3wish Rothschild dynasty.”
I think you bent something long ago whilst playing with psychotropics Stew … pro tip … there is not any – one – dominate force driving things, elites agree on stuff that is beneficial to all in the group and squabble on the edges about pet peeves. Currently there are only 3 nations that can resist Atlantic Anglophone forces and that is China and Russia [now being driven together – own goal] and Japan – never ending meetings/will get back to you ploy.
Neoliberalism is not a Rothschild’s program, MPS [dark corner debate club]/Lippmann road show was advanced by elites back in the day due to their fear of having their rents/looting curbed and worse the proceeds of that in the form of property taken away, ultimately the greatest fear [tm] of all was their power/authority over how society should be shaped. This is all just basic polysci stuff and not ideological screeds like The Devil from Jackal Island or The Road to Serfdom level ***self help book section*** stuff.
Again Stew ….
The main points of neo-liberalism include:
THE RULE OF THE MARKET. Liberating “free” enterprise or private enterprise from any bonds imposed by the government (the state) no matter how much social damage this causes. Greater openness to international trade and investment, as in NAFTA. Reduce wages by de-unionizing workers and eliminating workers’ rights that had been won over many years of struggle. No more price controls. All in all, total freedom of movement for capital, goods and services. To convince us this is good for us, they say “an unregulated market is the best way to increase economic growth, which will ultimately benefit everyone.” It’s like Reagan’s “supply-side” and “trickle-down” economics — but somehow the wealth didn’t trickle down very much.
CUTTING PUBLIC EXPENDITURE FOR SOCIAL SERVICES like education and health care. REDUCING THE SAFETY-NET FOR THE POOR, and even maintenance of roads, bridges, water supply — again in the name of reducing government’s role. Of course, they don’t oppose government subsidies and tax benefits for business.
DEREGULATION. Reduce government regulation of everything that could diminish profits, including protecting the environment and safety on the job.
PRIVATIZATION. Sell state-owned enterprises, goods and services to private investors. This includes banks, key industries, railroads, toll highways, electricity, schools, hospitals and even fresh water. Although usually done in the name of greater efficiency, which is often needed, privatization has mainly had the effect of concentrating wealth even more in a few hands and making the public pay even more for its needs.
ELIMINATING THE CONCEPT OF “THE PUBLIC GOOD” or “COMMUNITY” and replacing it with “individual responsibility.” Pressuring the poorest people in a society to find solutions to their lack of health care, education and social security all by themselves — then blaming them, if they fail, as “lazy.”
Thanks for stating the obvious – once again you mistake the mundane definitional for the profound.
Now how about considering how these economic precepts might influence a society? Start with a simple model, say a society constructed of two cultural groups, a majority that seeks to maximise its strength through unity and shared values, and a minority that seeks to maintain its distinct identity from the majority at all cost, and indeed it sees any form of assimilation as cultural genocide.
Then consider the social and economic outcomes of those two groups in terms of Neoliberalism. If you a minority in a majority nation you have one of two choices, either you assimilate or if that is abhorrent for you to consider, then you must seek to control the majority least they turn you into their slaves.
A society that directs its economic output at perpetuating the culture and values of the majority is abhorent to all minorities. Neoliberal market based solutions are the inevitable solution that minorities will champion, especially when their “Native” community abilities ensure that they will generally outperform the majority in a ‘meritocracy’.
You are so regularly critical of Christians and Christianity, yet I have never seen you raise a voice of criticism towards other religions or give a skerick of thought to the possibility that other religions and cultures have hold great enmity towards our own.
Are white people the only group in the world who have suprmacists within their ranks? That would seem a very rac!st to me. The reality is all cultures and people have suprmacists within their ranks – I wonder what the supremacists of a 4,000 year old banking clan would look like, and the sort of policies that they would argue for?
RE banks Stewie:
“I believe that banking institutions are more dangerous to our liberties than standing armies. The issuing power of currency shall be taken from the banks and restored to the people, to whom it properly belongs.”
“If the American people ever allow private banks to control the issue of their currency, first by inflation, then by deflation, the banks and corporations that will grow up around them will deprive the people of all property until their children wake up homeless on the continent their Fathers conquered.”
Thomas Jefferson (1743-1826) Quote: https://oll.libertyfund.org/quotes/187
Hi Drt15,
It is a great quote – unfortunately it is thought to be a paraphrase of some letters that he wrote to John Taylor. The letter written below:
I think the second quote was entirely made up, but has been popularly accepted. That is not to say that it is not inaccurate in terms of according to Jefferson’s beliefs. He had some strong views on debt and that no debts should ever extend beyond 20yrs, least it become a generational burden. Jefferson was an amazing man in terms of his consideration of aspects of Freedom, Liberty and Rights and Responsibilities. Regardless of those particular quotes authenticity, they are very true in the warnings that they carry, and I’m sure Jefferson would not only have agreed with them, but endorsed them too.
LMMAO …. Jefferson’s bible and his slave ownership proclivities [root] make a mockery of your projections …. he bragged about his 6% interest ***on humans*** to cover the lavish cost of his estate social party’s which put a floor under his social networking foundations and political aspirations.
Maybe those Chinese are on to something with their “market supervision departments “
“Catering service providers may face a fine if they encourage or mislead consumers into ordering excessive quantities of food which causes waste, and refuse to rectify the problem after being warned by market supervision departments, according to a draft law.”
http://global.chinadaily.com.cn/a/202012/23/WS5fe27faea31024ad0ba9d6ca.html
Beats old Bat Ears “grocery code of conduct”
Can anyone confirm that Tones was the catalyst for the Northern Beaches cluster ? Is he in isolation ?
Anecdotal evidence will be fine.
Would baseless innuendo suffice?
Give it to me baby aha aha 😺
I was listening to one of those Intelligence squared debates earlier today on Capitalism.
One of the debaters was a standard clueless CEO type who truly believed in the end of history thesis, freedom etc. Capitalism will keep getting better until the sun dies.
Debate was titled “Capitalism is a blessing”
But it should be past tense because Capitalism has already failed. Post 2008 has been capitalism in name only:
1. Capitalists no longer control their businesses. “Management” or professional boards do. They decide the capital structure, cost structure, return of capital etc. Capitalists are now just bagholders for “managers” (bureaucrats) to take advantage of.
Managers don’t even know who the capitalists are, they’ve never met them. They don’t care.
2. The market can now not ever create the demand required for full employment. Not just during a downturn, but ever. It depends 100% of the time on state induced demand. If you can’t generate enough sales whats the point.
3. Capitalists don’t even want to use their capital. buy-backs and dividends probably exceed new issues.
4. Real long-term interest rates (30-year) are zero or negative. ie. the pure return to capital is zero.
Profits now represent monopoly power (underwritten by the state), state protected rents, excessive risks by management made possible by state protection in bankruptcy. A system where capital is no longer accumulating is not capitalism.
Where have you been since the anti tax [theft] tax haven thingy in the 70s got rolling, lest we forget Havana before that.
This all post dates the currant neoliberal ideology, which pre dates the great depression, you know, the old wine in a new bottle thingy …
Interesting re Jefferson. You’re right – I’ve spent an interesting half hour reading of Monticello and how Jefferson personally oversaw the small boys 10 -16 yrs making nails from dawn to dusk who were whipped to make them comply.
Seems he abandoned his high principles in a short itme once he worked out slaves were his greatest profit.
Smithsonian does a good post of the nail shack and all it portends ,,,
You know there was probably a good chance this Sydney to Hobart might actually have been fun. Oh well, no boat [email protected] will be harmed in the making of this boxing day…
Is Kevin Rudd just being Jealous here?
“Here’s Abbott,the most destructive politician in generations,offered front page of Murdoch’s rag, pontificating on “lessons learned”! Like single-handedly destroying Aust manufacturing & the car industry? Killin NBN for Murdoch; Killing the carbon price?”
#MurdochRoyalCommission
https://twitter.com/MrKRudd/status/1342610578020261888?s=19
Kruddie didn’t get voted out by his electorate
IMO and MLT, Abbott is one of the three most worst PMs Straya (coincidentally, all LP) has probably had, ranked in descending order – SFM, Abbott, Howard – with it being a tight contest as to who has the longest-lasting worst legacy, but to me the winner is Howard, albeit SFM has plenty of time on his side to take gold?
Depends on the type of legacy you’re talking about.
Howard’s policies are the cause of most of the problems we face today, whereas Abbot and ScoMo have done little in that space (ie: policies that are fundamentally changing how the country is run).
However, Abbot and particularly ScoMo have completely normalised the idea that all but the most gross corruption and sh!tfuckery from the right doesn’t even need a facade of propriety any more.
(The media must also take a lot of blame for letting it slide by almost entirely unchallenged, but that’s a different discussion.)
Agree Smithy.
How come smith can swearz?
The corruption this year alone in NSW (e.g. Gladys) that in previous years would of caused an outrage and a direct sacking is now filled with end of year articles praising her. Popularity, or rather media spin putting that image on, seems to be all you need and I’m sure that’s purchasable. Seems to be happening also at the federal level as well with dodgy infrastructure project and land deals; probably the only reason those things were being built in the first place.
I blame the media for deliberately siding with the Liberals and trying to lighten up bad behavior; or forget to mention it once it blows over. Exhibit A – https://www.smh.com.au/national/top-of-the-pops-gladys-berejiklian-should-beat-jacinda-ardern-in-the-2020-popularity-stakes-20201224-p56pzu.html
Agree with this
pretty close…
Definitely Howard. He was a catastrophe for this country, and our great great grandchildren will be feeling and dealing with the terrible consequences of his evil stupidity.
It’s not hard to see why dictators get up when you see how easily people unquestioningly venerate Howard, when he should be universally condemned.
+1 (aside from his insufferable smugness).
No, Kevin gets a lot of hate, but I actually think he’s not that bad. He’s much more level headed than the Tripe we have now.
I also think Malcolm was good, but just in the wrong party. Abbott is deeply conservative but I respect the fact he volunteered as a fire fighter and didn’t do it for accolades but a sense of civic duty. But he was also not that switched on and unable to read the room.
Krudd entrenched the labour hire , “ skilled “ immigration decline for Australia’s working class. Then he became a registered agent of influence for the CCP.
Fck Krudd.
Rudd didn’t start that, Howard did.
It’s all Labor’s fault.
Didn’t start it but he entrenched it like fishing said
And as a so called labor party leader I’d say that’s worse
Also he’s just as psycho as scummo, with an ego never before seen so humongous
https://youtube.com/watch?v=eFTLKWw542g
Boom! (pun intended)
Krudd put a rocket up house prices by tripling FHOG, foreign purchases, and I recall he also removed some superannuation restrictions on property investment.
Given the crisis at the time, there is an argument for those actions as a temporary boost. The problem is that they remained in place. Perhaps a couple of distractions, like being dumped, had something to do with it.
Fancy falling for the ‘temporary ‘ policy line.
https://m.betootaadvocate.com/uncategorized/good-migrants-launch-fresh-attack-on-australias-fight-to-contain-the-spicy-cough/
Gawd what a beat up that was. 300 at a beach in the middle of summer in a non hotspot. If only they had thought to say they were protesting for BLM…then it would’ve been all good.
I wanna see the sunshine after the rain
Pcraptcet – first among losers
To skip.
Its all water under the water
Until you grasp a gasp
You’ve done better than I
Could ever bear the torment.
I don’t trust anybody
Everyone is a foe
Especially myself
Boy howdie
Sheffield Shield reduced to 3 days to more accurately reflect test cricket.
I volunteered to work over Christmas but they bloody cancelled it at the last minute, pricks. No extra money and now unwanted downtime, Christmas is the sh!ttest time to have time off.
Some of those that want whores
Good on them
Don’t you know?
Talking about a revolution
https://www.google.com/search?q=milord&oq=milord&aqs=chrome..69i57.19017j0j9&sourceid=chrome-mobile&ie=UTF-8#
Non je ne regret pas
Everytime I see a Galaxy tab I think of you. 💉😉
PS They’re singing in Notre-dame
again. Vive la France. Vive la Revolution: https://youtube.com/watch?v=52UiW_MxAMM
Time for an update ….
Red moon of Chongqing keep on shining
https://youtu.be/xtpiqdN2lJk
https://www.aspistrategist.org.au/chinas-change-5-mission-flagging-the-moon-for-conflict/
Hey the best Chinamen ladies to have relations with come from Chongqing!
Chongqing chicken chokers ?
So young ..so unafraid….
Where did this lad come from? ….can we get a few more like him journalists jobs in straya …..
https://youtu.be/Hot7JrUffM0
it’s hard not to like him
Well, you would.
I’ll light some candles for your apprentices.
So a few days ago I got a call from a heavy Indian accent (female). She is basically trying to see if I’m interested in solar power. I hesitate to engage but figure I’ll give her a chance. She goes can I confirm your address is blah blah blah NSW 2046. I’m like.. hang on a minute, how did you get my details?
Because since moving to Melbourne I filled in a solar quotes form and spoke to a couple of companies so I wasn’t surprised to get a call, but when I heard my old address I realised it wasn’t because of solar quotes. Who sold my data I wondered? So I said, wait a minute, where did you get my details from, sudden pause, she tried to skirt around it. Then I asked again, passive aggressive tone this time (sure it’s a cultural thing) “sir I’m telling you” but not telling me. I keep pressing. Who sold you my details? Sir, why do you want to know?
Because I want to know who is giving you my details so I can check if I gave them permission or not. There is a lot of dodgy bros solar companies at the moment making big promises you see. Hang on sir I’ll get you my supervisor.
Supervisor jumps on, also won’t tell me where the leads came from, says the guys who will call me next week can tell me. I’m thinking, yeah right. Suresh just wants to pass on my lead, collect $200 and move onto the next guy. He isn’t there to answer questions..
Anyway, I’m thinking any company using such tactics to generate leads and find customers is likely not a company I want to engage with. I mean they sound like a sausage factory. Once the cowboy tradies are done with the install and the roof leaks or there is a problem with the solar array they will likely pheonix the whole company and start again. Only to be featured on A Current Affair.
So am I right? Is this dodgy as? Should call centre jockeys be able to tell you where your data/lead came from? Do companies that use indian call centres for lead gen actually do a good job.
I got that call a few weeks ago and they said they got my name and number from the led light upgrade program the state government did. As soon as I said I’m a renter they asked for the owners name and number. That’s when they got the f#ck off treatment.
That LED Light replacement program installed non-standard LED bulbs & transformers. The transformers had a recall after several houses burnt down after a transformer caught fire. From what I heard, the company administering the program went bankrupt before any remedies could be sought. ‘Straya
The bulbs are not available anymore, so all the house owners that used the program cannot replace worn out bulbs, and the systems were 2-pin, not the 3-pin that became standard a year or so later.
So if you happen to buy a house that replaced lights in that program, you have to replace ALL the bulbs and transformers, and rewire the circuits to fix one light and meet code (and insurance requirements).
Not that I know anything about it. Fkn.
Exactly why I don’t trust these cowboy cold callers. No morals or standards.. not worth it.
Oh boy, can I put you onto a team of honest Irishmen to “asphalt your driveway, guv?”?… honest and hardworking, just real unlucky that the materials they are working with are so shyte quality…
Was out in Broken Hill earlier this year .
Notice a large group of Indians loitering on the pavement
Thought WTF are they doing here .
Observed them for half an hour when a people mover pulled up and they all piled in and disappeared
Recounted my observations to a local and asked what was it all about . He explained they were solar
sales people blitzing town and all from Melbourne .
Hope their sales promises were delivered .
I used to work for a company called AC&T (not AT&T). It was a call centre job when I was at Uni. Anyway we used to verify sales for Optus, Telstra, Origin and another couple of companies. Back then (early 2000s) it was all English, Irish and Scottish backpackers doing the rounds trying to switch people over.
It was my job to make sure the customer knew what was happening and understood the main points of the contract. Often sales guys on commission would try and sell to people who couldn’t speak English.
Of course we had to knock those back, but lots of people would get sold pork pies. I’ve been wary of any cold callers, door to door sales folks etc..ever since.
I just always state that I never respond to any form of telephone marketing or correspondence what so ever.
If they insist I just repeat that line, again and again if needed, until they hang up.
You are never going to get “the best deal ” on anything from some cnut giving you a random unsolicited phone call.
Don’t waste a single minute of your time on them.
Unless it is to troll THEM.
Here is one of my favorites,
This Kitboga guy trolled this indian Scam caller for over 10 hrs!
The man is a legend.
https://youtu.be/7mceb_t8EIs
Fair enough, but in this instance I was thrown off because I had filled in interest in solar at Solar Quotes, but when they asked to confirm my address was my old 1 I knew it wasn’t from that. Hence why I probed for more information. But didn’t get it.
I was a door to door salesman once upon a time.
That’s some fkcn heavy sh1t, I tells ya’.
And so was Gerry Harvey selling vacuum cleaners and the rest is history?
Gerry Harvey? Did he now? Well, that explains how he manages to suck and blow at the same time!
The fire-rated doors were the worst.
They should, but under Australian Law they don’t have to.
Data Ownership. We should own our data and let the likes of Favebook purchase it. The only other alternative is a worsening digital panopticon and the end of 500 years of enlightenment. A Digital Dark Age.
Add that to the BS Party platform Gunna.
Yep and +1.
One of the most enlightened and prescient comments on this site eva.
It’s really going to screw with your social credit score a few years from now. 😂🐼
Yep. 1
I think there is technology which makes living life better and there is technology which is trying to oppress us. I am totally against Facial Recognition Cameras, Databasing peoples information without them having proper ownership of it, things like Facebook/Twitter which people stupidly upload there life for all the world to see. I think there are many honest people in this world but all it takes is the wrong one and before you know it, your being Blackmailed or Extorted.
” Let me give you an example. I snapped a photograph of you in the nude and/or have your username and password details to things you’d rather keep private. If you dont want me to distribute this information publicly or post your nude photo in a very public place for all to see, then you better do as I tell you or I’ll go ahead and see this done tommorrow. I’ll make sure your boss and/or wife gets this information. You may lose your job or potentially lose your marriage. It could cause you great social and financial harm. Are you going to do what I want or will I release this? “. Thats an example of blackmail.
I dont think people realise how easily they can be blackmailed once this information starts to get released.
The scarier thing which is really worrying me, is now Governments are getting hold of this Technology. Do you like the fact that the Australian Government knows when you go to the toilet? They do. Your mobile phone is effectively a personal tracking device. At anytime, authorities can track the location of your mobile phone using GPS and not only can they pickup your weekly schedule and everywhere you go but they can also pickup your private moments. How do you feel that someone has that kind of power over you? They have so much information on you when they spy on you that as the article claimed, ” They can even pick your health problems “. I thought the article defeats the point. They shouldnt be spying on you in the first place, not sugar coating why its good to spy on you.
Australias NBN was a great project. However, the first people they called for its construction werent Telecommunications Experts, it was Intelligence Agencys. One of the great advantages of the NBN is they get to spy on your internet activities so they can further see what your searching for everyday. Its how they are picking up terrorists and quietly arresting people within Australia in there very own homes. The NBN was basically a more efficient Internet Spy Service sold under the guise of Faster Speeds.
I think one of the reasons we dont have Laws on this stuff going ahead in Australia is because the Government is already spying on you. I dont think Australians realise how much information they have on you already.
I dont think people realise how easily they can be blackmailed once this information starts to get released.
I think it’s more that since most people wouldn’t try to blackmail others like this, they assume nobody will do it to them.
The corollary to ‘treat others how you would like to be treated’ is the assumption that others will treat you well so you treat them well. This is why con artists get away with things and sociopathic people rise to positions of power.
The scarier thing which is really worrying me, is now Governments are getting hold of this Technology. Do you like the fact that the Australian Government knows when you go to the toilet? They do. Your mobile phone is effectively a personal tracking device. At anytime, authorities can track the location of your mobile phone using GPS and not only can they pickup your weekly schedule and everywhere you go but they can also pickup your private moments.
Nobody’s figuring out when you’re taking a dump using GPS.
Australias NBN was a great project. However, the first people they called for its construction werent Telecommunications Experts, it was Intelligence Agencys. One of the great advantages of the NBN is they get to spy on your internet activities so they can further see what your searching for everyday. Its how they are picking up terrorists and quietly arresting people within Australia in there very own homes. The NBN was basically a more efficient Internet Spy Service sold under the guise of Faster Speeds.
“They” don’t need the NBN to spy on you, nor does the NBN make it any easier.
I think one of the reasons we dont have Laws on this stuff going ahead in Australia is because the Government is already spying on you.
We don’t have laws because the people arguing in favour of such laws (like, say, the Greens) are inevitably labelled as supporting terr’ists (or similar) when they do.
Chinas Social Credit Scoring is scary technology. The Police dont even have to arrest you. If you do something they consider a crime, the Government has the ability to Freeze your Bank Account. You are unable to shop, buy food, get on a bus or even jump on a plane. You are practically locked out of your own money and can no longer do anything. The only way you can get your Bank Account unfrozen is if you hand yourself in to the nearest police station, where they’ll most likely arrest you and your forced to pay for whatever it is you’ve been accused of doing.
On the other hand, if you go to Australia and steal F-35 jet technology ( like this https://www.news.com.au/technology/innovation/inventions/cyber-spies-in-china-stole-designs-for-australias-new-f35-lightning-ii-fighter-jet/news-story/091e7df0a9e6eb8592b1604ee61e63e8 ) then you go home to China, get a huge advance in your Social Credit Score and are practically labelled as a hero. Your basically weaponising your own people and encouraging them to attack other countrys in the world.
Its hard to see how we can continue to be Free in this up and coming world. Technologies fast becoming a weapon against Australians and hindering The Aussie Way of Life. As its becoming more developed, its being used to attack us.
I have similar concerns to you. I work in data engineering and am working more toward data science skillsets. It does worry me, the ease at which you can build profiles and collect meta data on people.
It makes me very wary about sharing data. To the point recently where at Xmas my family is taking photos of my boy and sharing those photos of Facebook and I am concerned about facial recognition technology being used by Facebook to recognise who he is, even if he doesn’t have an account. In future who knows how Facebook will use the data and who will have access to it?
Too late. Do some reading about Clearview (the facial recognition company).
This is a problem that, like climate change, can’t be addressed at an individual level. It requires legislation.
Unfortunately the people who need to legislate are in many cases already addicted.
back in the early days I used to use a slightly different version of my name, and/or address, but mainly name – eg just initials, or forename and 2nd initial etc and I could tell instantly who sold my data on. One of the first culprits was the Australian Computer Society – they denied it; I resigned membership (pretty much a no brainer for other reasons too).
Of course now data is everywhere so it is harder to have so many combinations but I still do it for big data sites like PayPal etc.
my dad taught me to use a signature on my cheques different to the printed name on the cheque – came in handy once when a cheque book was stolen out of my letter box – banks could easily see it wasn’t my signature when I demanded to see the cashed cheques and the funds refunded (but I suspected they thought I had done it anyway).
They are a few scammers who ask if you have a PV so they can come out and assess you for a govt grant. I suspect the play is to come over, tell you something is unsafe and use pressure tactics to pay for fixing it.
Gav, the only reason you’re not just ignoring this call is the coincidence of your asking for someone to contact you about solar recently. I get calls exactly as you describe at least once a month – and they’ve been happening for the last three to five years. I have never asked anyone to call me about solar – and I’ve been off grid for six years or so. I doubt anyone you gave your details to around solar quotes sold the details on – you’ve just been added at random to one of the lists that get passed around all the dodgy call centres on the subcontinent and you’ll be on that list forever.
The magic of NBN interoperability is that now these dodgy places can fake local phone numbers on the caller id (I’ve even had calls from dodgy call centres using the NAB’s 1300 number as the caller id).
Lesson of the day – trust no-one who calls you.
WRT solar installers and leaky roofs – you have a small acreage these days, don’t you? Stick the panels on the ground on the north side of the house. No leaks possible and much easier to clean when they need it…
Thanks mate, yeah I agree I’m on the shyte list now. That’s why I wanted to know where they got my details and of course they cannot answer…
My mum keeps getting calls about Solar at her country residence and they keep calling every few months.
Sadly not on an average. I wanted to be, but am a bit closer to the city and on 900sqm. But have a large nature reserve (23 acres behind me). Unfortunately cannot put them in there.
“Stick the panels on the ground on the north side of the house. No leaks possible and much easier to clean when they need it…”
Good advice, thanks. Installing off grid sometime this year and wary, as the Rudd-years system I had installed leaked then later, burst…..
Do lots of research – it seems most off gridders kill the first set of batteries learning how to live with them, me included. 20 grand later, I have a much better system than the original setup, including those ground mounted panels.
Good to know, thanks. Can I ask what you went with?
NiFe (aka Edison) batteries. I wouldn’t recommend them to any but another certified geek, however, as they are unsupported by any of the major inverter/charge controller manufacturers and are an absolute pain to get working properly. OTOH, they can last 50-80 years, which is why I went that way – I totally don’t want to be needing new batteries this lifetime. The rest of the gear is by Victron, because marine reliability, not because they suit the batteries.
Cheers. Food for thought 🙂
So I have to transfer my car from NSW to Victoria…
I found a custom plate was still available..
https://imgur.com/a/DrQQq1X
When I came close to buying a V8 Sportwagon maybe 2015ish (so I could own a V8 at least once in my life) I was staggered to see that “LASTV8” was still available in Queensland (at least according to the PPQ search).
I should have bought it then and there, but the cost of even simple personalised plates in this country is beyond outrageous so I just couldn’t bring myself to pull the trigger.
Interestingly it looks like TUONO (and obvious variants) is gone as well (for the bike) – was still showing up as available only a year or so ago.
I wonder what the stats look like on personalised plates – is there an increase of speculation on them as well, just like everything else ?
You tell me: https://www.gumtree.com.au/s-ad/capalaba/other-parts-accessories/personalised-plates/1262519278
Lol, what a wank.
Surely that’s more expensive than the parking spot.
Love it how the ad needed to spell out what the acronym meant. Just another piece of data that there is no relationship between brains and money
When we got our car 4 years ago, the plate TESLAX was still available. But we didn’t want people do think we were spruiking anti-constipation pills.
lol
Still think BTC 50K is impossible?
25K
Prosecuted futures? Bwaaahaaahaahaa
Baseball cards and …. all the frauds occurring … hear 9B went missing in SA … then – https://techcrunch.com/2020/12/23/ripples-xrp-cryptocurrency-crashes-following-announcement-of-sec-suit/
Just a quick search shows how much control fraud and scams exist in this activity, but hay, where is the productivity – ?????
Ripple isn’t bitcoin, never was. Dumped it years ago. Ethereum is good
You know that’s not my point, bit hard to wobble on about inflation on one hand and the next cheer about it … especially when there is zilch productivity attached to it … not to mention the whole increased financialization of everything aspect and cough … rents … can’t have it both ways based on hopes and dreams mig.
Polkadot too. Some blockchains have real value as real projects are being built on them and these blockchains solve specific problems. Not sure what BTC solves though – just can’t get my head around it. I am too old fashion, perhaps.
Impossible? No. Insane? Yes…
25k? Not anymore!
😉
Dave Lee watches a Livestream on Youtube of people who are Anti-West donating money to this cause.
” There is only one reason you would watch a video like this and its because you hate Australia. Im surprised at how many Australians are watching this video. ”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-gN2BKGx24Q
There are people within Australia, who are connected to China, and they hate Australia / Australians.
As Australias National Security problems go, this hilights just how bad Australia is becoming.
Dave Lee has been trying to defend Australia for many years and he barely gets 50 supporters. He gets no funding and no support. He’s pretty much gone it alone to do the best he can.
The people who hate Australia are getting supporters into the thousands. They are getting money thrown at them and are being well funded. This demonstrates just how much of a problem Australia has with Migration. The problem is already inside the Country.
Reckon that nice Michael West fellow could end up on the government list of trolls.
https://www.michaelwest.com.au/inside-australias-secret-rich-list/
That’s why we need Independents controlling what LNP do.
Independents with the ethos to put Australia first will fix every problem we’ve got.
There is no other way.
Lol
There will be no chance obfuscating, de-railing, blocking, the Poor Laws, when they’re brought before the Parliament (of wh0res), Senate, …
I merely want another bowl for Christmas.
Is Oh-Gosh being funny?
I doubt it – isn’t one of Rainbowberg’s bestie mates Ryan Stokes? I sense that everything Rainbowberg does has an ulterior motive?
A philosophical question.
If the Murdoch family in control of News Ltd and News Ltd itself, ceased to existing tomorrow, would the world be worse off?
And the answer is, without a second to consider it: no, on the contrary!
LNP and Murdoch are products of the left which have lost the plot.
While ever the ABC and Labor are this disconnected from the mainstream expect both LNP and Murdoch to gain strength.
You did this.
Thanks Totes. I had noticed the sun rose in the west this morning through my curtains that have faded because of daylight saving.
But he loves this country and the people in it 🤣🤣
Nutter.
I love that Rudd is heading the assault on News Limited.
The guy who wrecked the Labor party, and ergo Australia, wants to blame everyone else.
It’s one big lol, and it’ll backfire.
Australians hate Rudd, and will love whatever he opposes.
Australians hate TotesBeWoke
When a read that, I have no emotion.
You are meaningless to me mig. I have zero respect for you or your opinion.
“assert moral superiority while making outrageous claims”
You don’t even have the capacity to understand the world you’re creating will destroy you.
You’re literally 5he biggest t0sser I’ve ever come across rich42
Of course you think that. Im a sensible intelligent guy who knows what’s going on.
You’re a clueless new age wokester, much younger than me with everything to lose, who will of course lose everything.
How much bitcoin you got again arseclown?
If you think money will save your cohort in Australia, you’re even more ridiculous than I thought.
Hang on a second totes, if money won’t help, why do you brag so much about being well remunerated? Surely it is pointless if your campaign is so grandiose.
See those cracks forming in your logic? Lol so smart, tested smart, tested genius, he is jebus
“you did this”
You all done beating women in your car or you still at it?
WTF are you talking about?
Either make a statement or don’t. Sick to death of your cryptic BS.
I thought I asked you not to write anything under my comments.
After you told us all you’d leave forever, so pffffft.
Its not cryptic in the least, it’s an example of what you did – start from a non-seq and proceed to assert moral superiority while making outrageous claims.
Idiod
“You all done beating women in your car or you still at it?”
That’s not cryptic? FO.
Mate. You have mummy issues, and I asked you not to communicate with me for a reason.
1. I don’t understand you. You are too cryptic for me.
2. I think you have a sick mind.
3. I want nothing at all to do with you.
Get some help.
Mate you have daddy issues.
What you ask I won’t comply with, for several reasons but mostly because you asked.
@ Totes
Agreed. Sympathies. 🙂
Lol
Did you get your dream fulfilled, to go to work and drive the forklift?
How sad.
Sad eh? A low paid job can’t give fulfillment?
If that’s your thinking you’re part of the problem yourself.
Just so happens, low paid jobs are low skilled and make the worker expendable.
The real fight is immigration, and if i can’t convince low earners of that, I may as well do nothing and stand back, and watch it happen.
Hey Totes, why should anyone listen to you? If you really cared about this country and its people why do you constantly belittle the people you want to listen to you? Why would I, or any person, on $50k or less vote for independents like you say we should when you also say we don’t count because we aren’t as “rich” as you. While we’re at it, you have never specifically said what your qualifications are or what your job is. Stop being a mincer and lay your cards on the table.
Edit. Lol “I should just stand back and let it happen” classic totes, already laying down your excuse for not following up on your plans. You made one crappy petition and it flopped so now you’re looking for an escape plan from grandiose delusional proposals. Muppet
You aren’t smart mate. You’re an idiot.
“you constantly belittle the people you want to listen to you”
I hope you remember that it was both you and mig that started that.
I don’t have to defend my intellect. It’s been measured so your comment is meaningless. Oh, and I can justify my view and position. Something i consider critical when assessing someone’s IQ. If you can outline why I’m “not smart”, I’ll consider it, but you just saying it without anything backing it deserves my contempt.
I’ll tell you what I did when I retire. It’s not overly remarkable, but it pays well for the lifestyle it gives me. I’m sure it won’t surprise you when I tell you.
“Why would I, or any person, on $50k or less vote for independents like you say we should when you also say we don’t count”
You won’t be earning $50k for long. Your demographic is exactly who i have consistently fought for. Grow up man.
The dumbest thing I do in life is waste my time trying to educate idiots.
Lol this is some funny stuff totes. Yeah, maybe Mig and I cast the first stones but we aren’t the ones trying to change your opinion. You’re trying to change ours and the fact you try and make it into a he said she said just shows how dumb you are. You’re trying to change the world and you’re driving away the people you should be cultivating. If you can’t cop some sh!t and keep on message without retaliating you are doomed to failure.
You can’t defend your life choices much less your intellect!! Fool.
Life choices? What are you talking about? Man, you’re frustrated confused meaningless moron.
Coffee shops will go broke. Boomers love reading the free copy of the Hun or the Tele over their morning $5 coffee.
Hey, do those papers qualify as WuFlu superspreaders? They’ve got to be some of the most toxic things handed around.
nope, just like all politicians.
26k
Astra Zeneca is a go
“Oxford vaccine news, in @Daily_Telegraph.
More in #skypapers 10.30pm with @rachshabi & @tom_slater_ https://t.co/v6dhNSSOCq”
https://twitter.com/annabotting/status/1342951238846046208?s=19
In light of the Brexit dramas …
The Dirty War on the NHS was first broadcast in Britain on the ITV Network on 17 December, 2019. It was shown following the general election that saw Boris Johnson become prime minister – even though the future of the NHS was a major issue in the campaign.
The remarkable prescience of the film became clear when the COVID pandemic struck, and the NHS, crippled by bed shortages, the starvation of resources and accelerating privatisation, could not cope. This was the film’s warning – a warning also delivered in 2016 when a full ‘drill’ for a pandemic showed the NHS would barely survive such an emergency. The politicians and managers did nothing; the report of the results of the drill was suppressed.
The ideological assault on the world’s first public health service continued at the height of the COVID crisis with inept private firms given lucrative contracts for PPE and mass testing. The Health Secretary, Matt Hancock, an arch privatiser, announced in August 2020 that in future most GP consultations would be be online. Hancock’s association with the tech company, Babylon Health, is dealt with in The Dirty War.
http://johnpilger.com/articles/how-britain-could-have-defeated-covid-the-dirty-war-on-the-nhs-now-available-to-watch-here-free-of-charge
Sometimes it seems the whole thing is about the right to sellout your own citizens and call it sovereignty …
Tragic, thanks for sharing
Also, a core promise of Strayan gubmints.
Most of this stuff is centered not on “Health Care delivery” but on Billing aka financialization driving the agenda with expectations of financial flows for executive remuneration and investor sand bagging – see PE firms.
Always bewared of those that deploy the *** Access *** to Health care PR marketing shtick, rather than say Universal Health care … one denotes market dynamics whilst the other does not.
+1
Lots of ex-NHS docs work in Australia right now. Anecdata is that absolutely none of them regret the move.
I know of more than a few Oz Dr’s that are appalled at the U.S. health system and other dramas like the opioid cull for profit.
Morning Chunse. Does anyone know if tomorrow is public holiday penalty rates? Thanks
I paid the public holiday surcharge yesterday at my local cafe so no doubt there will be some double dipping going on tomorrow.
Before my work canned it they did confirm it was penalty rates
That’s the third time you’ve complained about not going to work.
You want to lend a few dollars for your chicken nuggets?
Of course I’m whinging about it. Was meant to pick up an extra few grand for a couple of days work. Still have plenty of coin but where can I spend it? Heaps of things still closed, shopping centres are hot beds of covid, Christams is literally the worst time to have time off if you have a choice, I had a choice buy my choice was taken away. Must be Labor’s fault.
“Must be Labor’s fault”
You’ll work this out one day.
Just searched the thread, only 2 instances of me mentioning not working before you made this comment. On separate days. 1st is the initial statement, 2nd is an on topic reply.
C’mon super intellect, I expect better lol
Are you still on Welfare Totes ?
and just making sh!t up ?
I would expect so: https://www.fairwork.gov.au/leave/public-holidays
Was 2020 the year that Macrobusiness Jumped the Shark?
So many bad predictions (AUD, Housing, Mining, Iron Ore all in one year), and so little understanding or insight into how the world is evolving.
Who knows maybe China will stumble and fall into the Middle Income trap (and MB can scream.. I told you so!) but from my observation point its the US that’s stumbling.
I called a friend in Texas and was horrified to hear that several of my old colleagues had died, probably of Covid19, apparently in Dallas alone over 300 people are dying each week. Neither US health care system nor US tech industries are dealing well with the virus. In this sense the virus is a test of economic resilience.
Just how fragile is the system that we’ve created.
As it turns out Australia’s system is highly resilient probably because our overall success just doesn’t rely on average people doing their jobs. In a way Australia’s economic success is something we just import. If you wander too far down this path you start to realize that the Australian Treasury’s 3 key points (Participation, Population and Productivity) are definitely not the driving force behind our GFC soft landing or our Covid19 successes.
All makes me wonder, Has MB jumped the shark? As in, are they still relevant? are they still setting the daily economic agenda? Is the broader economics industry deferring too them or laughing at them?
Btw this post and this account will probably be deleted by the end of the day, it’s just what happens.
I use MB for specific data that I can’t find myself or will take too much time for me to uncover.
I stopped reading anything geopolitics and Macro unless the Macro is copy/paste from another analyst like Credit Suisse, JPM etc..
I still see value for what I use MB for.
And to be fair on MB, everyone is allowed to make mistakes. Many other investors, investors who are famous worldwide and more intelligent than MB, have made and will make mistakes so why MB is not allowed to make them?
Everyone is allowed to make mistakes, but to really grow you need to own your mistakes.
agree.
“Was 2020 the year that Macrobusiness Jumped the Shark?”
We’ll never know?
Covid19, as it evolved into, wasn’t on the radar on 1/1/20. Hints ‘something Swine Flu-like’ maybe, but not what a mess the global economy turned into. Didn’t other ‘expert’ economists tip unemployment into the teens and substantial house price ‘adjustment’ as Covid19 did reveal itself?
Maybe MB would have otherwise got it all 100% right! As I say, we’ll never know. But one thing we do know for sure is – “It’s all easy, looking back!”
I hope it didn’t read as hindsight is 20 /20
All that I’m saying is that when you build most of your economic case around the strength and breadth of the US economy you’re likely to be wrong when events develop in such a manner as to prevent the business as usual case. That was 2020 in a nutshell, nature conspiring against our best laid plans.
Economic Resilience is as much about flexibility as it is about Strength and that’s exactly where we are seeing the US fall down. Their economy / society were not able to adjust quickly to the new reality.
In many ways this outcome has been predicted since 1992 when Bill Clinton failed to reform US health care during his first term. Basically any economy structured around limiting health care for the poor rather than providing health care to the needy, is bound to be tripped up when we get a Pandemic.
And this is exactly what we are seeing play out
The US had a least 40 years to fix an obvious problem and they didn’t
China 40 years ago was an economic, structural and public health disaster yet today we are seeing China react and morph in such ways as to overcome the worst of the Pandemic, in my book this speaks to an underlying resilience within China that’s simply missing in the US.
Sydney price average only have to stay similar for 2 more years from now this 30% loss because. Time
Yes. But. Once that’s done, then you can always just sit back and throw monkey droppings. Knowing you did all you could and more than you had to.
There’s a comment further down about when the best two times to plant a tree / house purchase are. I’m sure the commenter was also thinking about house price growth over the same period while writing it – so some of it does sink in – even if it does take 20 years.
No, wilbs, I wasn’t in any way commenting on house price growth. I was specifically typing about getting out of the travesty that is currently viewed as “normal” and establishing yourself in a more resilient life.
To quote another farmer I know, “Folks, this ain’t normal” – this quote can be applied to almost every aspect of modern life, especially house price growth, BTC, population growth, economic growth and many, many more
So you own investment property in Sydney lol
Fasten your seatbelts we are entering more turbulence. If futures open green tomorrow morning I might buy BBUS again.
https://www.zerohedge.com/political/two-pandemic-assistance-programs-expire-today-leaving-12-million-without-benefits
lol.. we do the opposite.
https://twitter.com/NikkeiAsia/status/1342823590438252546
Japanese racist ?…or sensible ?
Racist. They should do what we do – stop Aussies from returning home and let foreigners in. 😁
https://www.smh.com.au/sport/nrl/mitchell-pearce-wedding-cancelled-amid-sexting-allegations-20201227-p56qah.html
Oh dear …
This is the sort of thing that can happen when the ref pings you after persistently crossing the advantage line.
Leave him alone. He was consistently Queensland’s most valuable player in State Of Origin clashes.
Any thoughts on Britney?
Not sure. Was she of legal age when she wore the schoolgirl outfits?
Sigh.
Sadly, I vividly remember other commenters remarking that a number of other sites’ use of Britney related imagery would change once she turned that age. So I’m guessing “No”, she wasn’t yet.
Thanks for the PTSD. 😨
Edit: not commenters from here!
Britney is older than me (just) never had the problems of pondering this lol.
As always, TISM have a song for that.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iXBic6SO7IQ
,++ this … Great to have a laugh
Happy Christmas to all the chynese trolls stalking and dirt talking real Aussies here.
https://www.advanceaustralia.org.au/how_much_of_australia_china_owns
We need a royal commission into chynese business in Australia.
Advance Australia sounds like a bunch of knobs
Especially when it’s played on one of these:
https://image.shutterstock.com/image-photo/close-view-church-pipe-organ-260nw-131315294.jpg
Well played sir lol
Especially when you know that the only thing better than roses on your piano is tulips on your organ…
Couldn’t find a single stat in that article.
Here are some .
“David Irvine, the former Asio spy agency chief who now heads the foreign investment review board (Firb), clashed with the outspoken Liberal National party MP George Christensen, who is chairing a trade inquiry and using it to campaign for Australia to reduce its economic dependence on China.
Irvine used his appearance before a parliamentary committee hearing on Thursday to defend the benefits of foreign investment, but when he noted that some underlying concerns were based on “nationalistic” sentiments he was accused by Christensen of being “dismissive” of community concerns.
Despite China being Australia’s largest trade partner, the picture is different when looking specifically at foreign investment.
Treasury officials told the hearing the top source of foreign direct investment into Australia was the United States (20.1%), followed by the United Kingdom (12.5%), Japan (11.4%), the Netherlands (5.4%) and Canada (4.6%). They said China was ranked sixth with 4.5% of the share of foreign direct investment.
Christensen asked Irvine to describe what the Australian community at large thought about foreign investment, and in particular purchases made by state-owned enterprises.
The head of Firb replied that “the starting point is probably that there is an underlying concern within the community in respect of foreign investment, that foreigners are buying up the farm, they’re taking over, it’s a nationalistic sense that our industry should be Australian – there are all those concerns and sentiments existing within the community at some point or other”.
CIrvine said he had been “watching criticism of various Firb decisions over a very long time” and called for facts to be at the centre of discussion.
“Five years ago when I first entered the Firb the percentage of Australian agricultural land in foreign hands was about 13%, and I think it’s currently about 13.2% or 13.3%,” Irvine told the joint standing committee on trade and investment growth.”
looks like my response earlier got filed in the round bin
So Chyna’s ownership of Aussie assets doesn’t matter in your opinion?
I don’t agree if that is your position.
My position is that ALL foreign investment in our land ,water and minerals is detremental to the common wealth of Australians.
On that basis I am more concerned with the larger US and UK investments.
Remember Lord Vesty ? Another tax avoiding foreign investor.
Why does Qatar reap 20 times the benefit of it’s LNG than Australia does for the same quantity ?
We are being royally ripped off, and our politicians are complicit.
The issues are both worthy of debate but one is about commerce while the Chyna one is about sovereignty. Chyna uses commerce as a weapon to subvert democracy and will colonize and populate if allowed. But yes agree to the rip off bit
Sovereignty thing is the distraction peddle. Very good one, as it obviously works.
They seek rent (like every single other investor) and are not bothered if we had any type of the gov, be it democratic, poligarchy (like we do have) or outright dictatorship – as long as nationalisation is not an option. Why would they care if whatever our political system is making them money.
Any country with a bit of sovereignty in itself as well as with some influence available for leverage will use it to protect its interests, like our main investors did over the last century and earlier.
Worth reading
https://www.nzherald.co.nz/world/as-chinas-military-activity-rises-what-is-xi-jinpings-2021-master-plan/BZOGQCE43LWFNSZVMNCO2KNNR4/
Australia needs to wake up, and build its own hydrogen bomb and delivery mechanisms. China needs to know they can’t push us around.
We’d need skilled physicists and engineers with enough know-how, as well as long-range bombers with stealth technology or inter-continental missiles. Based on the quality of most Australian houses, no chance.
And manufacturing.
And lots of cheap energy
Gas Centrifuge arrays consume Lots of power
there was a time when our Coal generated power was dirt cheap and our Natural Gas was similarly priced but those days are long gone.
Today PV is the cheapest power available, but I suspect there’s a flaw somewhere in the logic that says we can import cheap PV panels from China and pay for this power by returning a Nuke tipped ICBM. It’s a strategy that might work once, but over the longer term I think there’s a problem with this plan.
” I suspect there’s a flaw somewhere in the logic that says we can import cheap PV panels from China and pay for this power by returning a Nuke tipped ICBM”
Yep. Lol
https://surplusenergyeconomics.wordpress.com/2020/12/08/186-the-objective-economy-part-three/
https://www.wsj.com/articles/if-you-want-renewable-energy-get-ready-to-dig-11565045328
Sadly, the era of cheap and plentiful energy is drawing to a close. China knows and is preparing for this. Energy, not money or the economy is what makes the world tick over – a simple and obvious fact a 5 yr old could understand, but which few economists do. The 20 yr debt binge has papered over this inconvenient fact til now, but probably not for much longer……
It’s ok, we’ve got the next best thing, we can blow a housing bubble which when it goes off, will lay waste to three continents… don’t need no egg-head physicists, all we need is our ‘crème-de-la-crème’: Joshie Rainbowberg, Scrote from Marketing, RBA, ASIC as the detonating mixture and APRA as the detonator…
+1 Yep – we can scare the sh.t out of the rest of the world!!
Tell him he is dreaming……..here are the forces available to the Western Military District in Russia……..China will build up much more on the same principles over the next ten years…….can you honestly see any place for Australian forces on such a battlefield ?
https://www.cna.org/CNA_files/PDF/IOP-2020-U-028759-Final.pdf?fbclid=IwAR3L95pZeytRHoERU0XTB857ku_A3Hzu_fUeBZrb2tKpAJS44wKUYgz6YYg
The best we can do is try to gain the maximum amount of autarky as quickly as possible because war seems inevitable now…..the Yanks will not fade quietly into the background.
Hmm Aussie don’t autarky too well
Well I built garden edging by upcycling 2 shipping containers today!
Pallets not containers!
I resent your comment. I’m perfectly capable of building hay sheds – all roof, no walls.
Building an actual house is way too expensive when you factor in the cost of the divorce…
Australia’s doing well. Would have been even better if it had been a proper full Mitchmas though.
Feck all covid talk in this here thread. Find it a bit strange seeing how many of us were keen to go toe to toe early in the year….
Everyone worn out? Virus psychos on holiday? Blissful ignorance/don’t wanna ruin your holiday? Giving koala killer a pass?
Hate to stir it up but I’m sitting in qld avoiding going out because everyone here is far too casual and it is loose in the wild here and yet all you Sydney mob quiet as. It niggles at me
Bonus! You can spend your unplanned downtime knitting up some more facemasks for the bunker stockpile then. 😷
#stirrer. 😉
I’ve spent today canning garden produce lol. I may be crazy but at least I’m drunk.
Sh1t. Is it Sunday again already? Sh1t it is!
Living in fear ain’t living at all
You seem to be living in fear, you still haven’t accepted my invitation to let me punch you in the face. If you’re not willing to meet up for a knuckle sandwich I can only assume you’re living in fear.
Reusa isn’t living.
Reusa is faking life lol
Come to Melbourne
Come to qld, with the rise in crypto you can easily afford the flight. We don’t have Krabby’s crab boil but still have decent seafood and better fighting weather. We can have a good fight, a good feed then get on the sauce and/or drugs.
lol the eighties are on the telephone wanting their knuckle sandwich back
I’m glad we can get some humour from it, I am an 80’s kid, quite partial to the term lol.
Don’t really wanna fight Mig but he seems really keen on having someone punch him. Baffles me with the stupidity of it but if he’s willing to come to Qld I will oblige him and then hopefully he can stop being a sad sack and we can have a good time after.
Same, born 74
😁👍
Are you good looking enough to punch on with me?
Depends on what you mean by “punch”.
You mean a manly punch to a gentleman’s prostate?
You need to buy a little farm somewhere. Then, when the world goes completely fkn mad, be it war, famine, pestilence or whatever, you just walk down to the front gate and put a chain and padlock on it and go back to living your life as per every other day.
Nota Bene: this only works if you are not in easy walk of a major population centre. Also handy is to be in an area with lots of errors in Google/Apple Maps
That’s the plan, have a few locations scouted out, just need to keep saving the money. Really kicking myself for not thinking of it earlier. Housing has always been overpriced where I’ve lived so just didn’t care about getting into the market and just had a good time instead, I’ve easily wasted enough on bourbon to pay for 3 separate small but perfect boltholes.
Unsolicited advice: just do it. As per smithy, the more isolated you go, the more affordable. Just now it’s not completely possible to to disengage from RupertWorld(tm), but I suspect it won’t be too long. While I have a couple of decades on you with thinking about this stuff, it’s kinda like planting trees – the best time was twenty years ago, the second best time is today.
The more isolated you are the more vulnerable to home invasion etc.
Not really, isolated is never really isolated. Looking around here, the more isolated people tend to look out for each other more than the townies or closer in people do. That said, there was a home invasion up the road a ways just last week. Reading between the lines, the invadees are/were drug dealers or some such, so not really applicable in the wider community up there.
I’d propose if you are within working distance (say, an hour’s drive) of any remotely significant population centre, you are too close if things really fall apart. Or for another rule of thumb, if there’s a bitumen road out the front, then you’re definitely too close.
The roving brigands might take a bit longer to reach you while they exhaust closer options, but they will find you eventually.
needless to say, I live on a dirt road. There is one bridge at either end of it to demolish in order to make us completely inaccessible. Sadly, looking at my neighbours, I’m the only one on the road willing to demolish them.
At least it’s still a long walk out here…
Nah, bitumen roads and cars are toast as soon as Iran/China/Russia/ME block the Straits of Malacca/Hormuz. Go high up a mountain and nobody will come.
I find myself agreeing with you lot on this 1 which is why I’m worried. Plus I watched quite a few of those films during lockdown where the world goes pear shaped.
bah… don’t take any notice of apocalypse pron. While I make no claims to any ability by way of predicting the future, I think it’s a pretty safe bet that any of the futures envisaged in pop culture are hugely unlikely to eventuate. And I refer both to the sci-fi future out along the galactic rim, as well as the zombie apocalypse. It’s all likely to be a lot more prosaic, a stairstep decline over another century or more, where human populations eventually come into line with planetary resources, at something less than 10% of current numbers. Sure, it’ll feel locally apocalyptic in places, especially to the Migs of the world, who persist in believing that the dreams promulgated by the marketeers are something other than chimeras. But humans are at least as adaptable as the avian dinosaurs, so if you want to do well – adapt. Collapse now and avoid the rush, to quote an ex-archdruid.
Thanks, I am sure humans will survive it’s just the transition to lower numbers that worries me.
Truly, I don’t believe the transition should be anything to worry about. Yes, it will be painful in parts, but nowhere near apocalyptic. Look at Russia post 1989. Life got harder andhe population dropped dramatically -20 million in a decade or so I saw someplace. Mostly through less reliable childbirth, worse nutrition more old people not getting as old as people used to and less useful medical care.
Make that experience global and add the fact that everyone alive today is going to be dead anyway in a century or so and you can see that a dramatically reduced population is easy on that sort of timescale without massive wars, famines, plagues or anything else.
Just don’t expect full employment is all.
That’s an exceptionally optimistic outlook.
Maybe. But humans don’t do hunger well – and a lot of hunger is coming as we travel down depletion, exacerbated by CC. It takes 10 calories of energy (FFs) to make one calorie of food. In the last century alone (when we were awash with FFs) more people died of hunger than from war and it’s now recognised that more often than not it’s hunger that causes war, not the reverse…..
So I don’t see we’re going to get off so lightly. Comforting rhetoric tho’ 🙂
…. water at source, a cool climate and a dead end road also help…..
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2020-12-27/covid-dominated-2020-democracy-at-a-crossroads/13010694
Dam, I missed on all three of those…
What do you think of this?
https://www.atomic6.com.au/
Watch the vid.
AUSTRALIA: COVID ACCELERATED DISPERSAL TO REGIONAL CENTRES …
… When will housing opportunity deprived Kiwis resume migrating in large numbers to Regional Aspirational Australia ? …
COVID-19 helping drive regional growth as flexible work sees people look beyond the city … Nathan Morris … ABC Southern Queensland
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2020-12-27/covid-19-drives-regional-growth/13009510
The COVID-19 pandemic is helping to drive growth in regional Australia, with flexible work making it possible for people to relocate beyond built-up coastal cities.
Key points:
• Regional Australia Institute says evidence points to regional movement, triggered by COVID-19
• There are a record 54,000 job vacancies across regional Australia
• Flexible work arrangements are making location less limiting on people’s careers … read more via hyperlink above …
.
.
Australia is witnessing a record regional jobs boom. Here’s where to find them in every state … Andy Park … ABC
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2020-12-02/jobs-boom-happening-in-australian-regional-centres/12939916
.
.
Regional Australia Institute
http://www.regionalaustralia.org.au/home/
… Is the housing affordability (median multiples … expanded from the Annual Demographia International Housing Affordability Surveys http://www.demographia.com ) of the regional centres of Australia adequately publicized and understood.
A giant con Hugh. If the job can be done from a ‘regional area’ it can be done from overseas where overall cost of living is a lot lower and logistical links are better.
27K
Still insane…
Is this Mig and Peachy causing trouble? The dogs look happy at the diversion.
https://www.theguardian.com/media/gallery/2020/dec/26/santa-arrives-in-basra-and-storm-bella-strikes-boxing-days-best-photos#img-18
“Speculation is an effort, probably unsuccessful, to turn a little money into a lot. Investment is an effort, which should be successful, to prevent a lot of money from becoming a little.” – Fred Schwed Jr
The wild $50m ride of the Flash Crash trader.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_ZDEWVJan0s
Highly recommended.
see below
‘course you are Peachy (or am I misidentifying you bcnich?) There’s no-one here to object to your tirades until next week at the earliest. What intrigues me is why you still bother…
After reading Migs twitter I can’t believe the extent to which Peachy still rails against MB, there’s better things to do.
Humorous and entertaining, this book exposes the folly and hypocrisy of Wall Street. The title refers to a story about a visitor to New York who admired the yachts of the bankers and brokers. Naively, he asked where all the customers’ yachts were? Of course, none of the customers could afford yachts, even though they dutifully followed the advice of their bankers and brokers. Full of wise contrarian advice and offering a true look at the world of investing, in which brokers get rich while their customers go broke, this book continues to open the eyes of investors to the reality of Wall Street.
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/288897.Where_Are_the_Customers_Yachts_
The book was written in the 1940s.
1940’s. Just before your beloved Chicago School boys hit the scene…
Chicago boys are just a rewarmed ideology which was around before the Great Depression, that eventually was sorted, but as I’ve pointed out many times …. launched a new and improved version we now call neoliberalism.
BTW I’ve taken that mob to task since my first day at MB, Born et al, and PKE has absolutely nothing to do with that bunch.
Old but good video box set, still a few things to finish.
I have seen it several times over and over, kraft and skills are excellent.
Enjoy it.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=txtMy7N1Fw0&list=PLGSOZAHg1yQEatqhWza_ae83e313-GLTO
Sadly, the nearest to this in local version is guys from Mighty Car Mods whom don’t do anything that does not live on a shelf prior to fitting or someone knowledgeable makes it for them. One thing I admire the most in US is probably the strongest and broad enterprise culture.
28K
I keep trying to find a quote for bitcoin in yield but can’t find, so not sure if I should buy. Where can I find the yield? thoughts?
Giggled. Sorry Mig.
Try an ETF
0 yield is more than negative yield. (an older telecom standard uses -48VDC power supply where ground is a positive terminal)
Lol bit coin will be dead in 6 months like I said social democracy has put a
stake threw capitalisms heart think qutum
test
Fkn Northern beaches people can get stuffed. The Mayor having a whinge they’re “over it” re restrictions, Melbourne people are now better than Sydney people and Melbourne people are the worst lol
Wait until chünts here in Qld get it going … that’ll put a Roman candle up some arses the wrong way ….
https://twitter.com/migtronix/status/1343374879396007937?s=19