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What are some realistic and creative ways to reduce wealth inequality?
I am a a third year student completing a degree in Social Work in Hamilton, New Zealand. I am currently doing a paper on Social and Community Development where I have to consider a topic of interest and then form a plan based on a theoretical perspective to eliminate or reduce a social issue.
My chosen topic is: Then impact of wealth inequality on social cohesion within New Zealand.
I would love to hear some creative and realistic thoughts around reducing this social issue which is a rapidly increasing, world wide issue. If anyone is well versed around topics such as this, stating your political ideology/perspective/basis of your ideas would be a great help so that I am able to further research the good idea's!
The primary focus will be on reducing wealth inequality as by doing this, social cohesion will increase. Despite this, I do hope to develop a small scale plan to increase social cohesion as well to strengthen the assignment.
Thanks heaps in advance :)
Larry Lawson
May 25 2013: In every capitalist society there are those who create wealth - pretty much everybody - and those who amass wealth, just a very few. This is not, as you may think, really a problem. It's the next step that is a problem; the passing on of great wealth, by those who amass it, to their chosen heirs. These are that class of people who neither create wealth nor amass it; it just comes to them as an accident of birth.
- +4
I suggest that we can change this. I think that when everyone dies his wealth ought to be put into a common pool. That pool then ought to be shared up equally among all the children born during the same period of time when the death of its original owners took place. This can be done every 3 to 5 years.
Since the vast majority of wealth is held in the form of shares of corporations, let it stay as such. Let it earn its usual dividends and let this wealth be held in trust for the children until they reach the age of 20. At that time every child will get his "birthright inheritance" as a member of that society, and be fully able to educate or train himself in any field that is of interest to him instead of educating/training himself to earn top dollar as a wage slave. His birthright will ensure sufficient funds for him to do as he wishes without fear of being unable to care for himself properly.
Those who wish to pursue amassing of wealth can do so with the blessing of the society. They can enjoy that wealth to the fullest until they die. Then it returns to the society that created it. It gets put back in circulation to be used by all of the members of the society instead of just the elite few.
This would result in everyone being benefited by the wealth created by his forebears as well as having the opportunity to do as he wishes with his life - including amassing great wealth if he so chooses. But he won't have a head start at that. He'll have to compete on a level playing field.
It seems to me that this system would result in much greater wealth parity.
May 26 2013: Great idea!
Ray Givler
May 26 2013: The big problem with this is it's a violation of freedom. The wealth accumulator has a right to control their own wealth (if it was obtained ethically) and give it to whomever they please, even if they express this desire prior to their death in the form of a will. So, no. To me, the above is posthumous theft.
- +2
May 26 2013: .
You conveniently ignore the fact that "the accumulator" of wealth does not, by mere accumulation, contribute to the well-being of the society - just to the well-being of himself.
Every member of a society plays a role in creating the wealth of a society. Some play one role while others play another. Those with the talent to accumulate the wealth created by a society also play a valuable role - at least, it's as valuable as those who consume product without producing it. But my product is of no use to me if it is sitting in my warehouse. Without consumers, I'll soon be out of business.
It is obvious therefore that any wealth that is "accumulated" is wealth that has been created by the whole society. Upon the death of the accumulator that wealth ought to be shared among the progeny of those who created it in preference to it falling into the hands of a lucky few, usually his own non-contributing progeny.
This has nothing at all to do with the accumulator having "the right" to do with his fortune what he pleases. Does he have the right to use his wealth, created by the other members of his society, to harm the very people who created both the wealth and his opportunity to accumulate it? Did the Boston bombers then have "the right" to purchase the ingredients of their bombs and to make use of them as they saw fit, no matter who it harmed? Your philosophy, sir, has some serious flaws.
Blade Runner
May 27 2013: ROFL................biggest load of crock I've come across this week!
- +2
Q1. Why does any wealth accumulator owe anymore to his society than the legitimate taxes the Govt of the day has imposed?
Q2. Where is it written that a wealth accumulator should/must/has to feel guilty if he just considers the 'well being of himself? ...... Because lets be totally honest here........that's what your really alluding to.
Q3. Further, fact of the matter is not ALL wealth is created by the 'whole society' as you would like us to believe.Or claim it is obvious, is I suggest pure squat. What is a fact and totally obvious is that some in society create no wealth and just feed off society. Who's fault is that besides their own or do you believe the world/society owes them or you a living/anything? And if so why?
On the one hand you state............'Upon the death of the accumulator that wealth ought to be shared among the progeny of those who created it in preference to it falling into the hands of a lucky few, usually his own non-contributing progeny.' and in the same breath you state this..............'This has nothing at all to do with the accumulator having "the right" to do with his fortune what he pleases.'
Suggest if you were totally honest you would concede that's exactly where your at...........your a looter looking at using a dishonest argument to loot somebody elses possessions.
Suggest your pithy points about use of wealth to harm and the Boston bombers are just stupid emotive red herrings that have squat to do with the right to possess and use ones accumulated wealth within the legitimate constraints of society.
Suggest your philosophy is based on jealousy and envy and you want to benefit from somebody elses endeavors of risk and intellectual property.
Last time I looked the number of millionaires was increasing 'daily'.........Whats holding you back?
Bob S
May 27 2013: @bladerunner:
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Q: "Why does any wealth accumulator owe anymore to his society than the legitimate taxes the Govt of the day has imposed?"
Because the Government of the day has been bought by the wealth accumulators, and as a result, the taxes on wealth imposed by this government are nowhere near legitimate.
"Q2. Where is it written that a wealth accumulator should/must/has to feel guilty if he just considers the 'well being of himself?"
In the Bible!
Bob S
May 27 2013: @RayGivler: There is no absolute freedom. Just like I am not free to drive my car on the wrong side of the street because it would endanger other people's lives, a small minority should not be free to hoard wealth in a way that prevents the majority from living a decent life. The Earth has limited resources. As long as wealth (money) gives you control over these finite resources, there must be limits on how much wealth an individual (or a family) can hoard.
- +1
May 28 2013: Hi Bob...........RE:
Q: "Why does any wealth accumulator owe anymore to his society than the legitimate taxes the Govt of the day has imposed?"
Because the Government of the day has been bought by the wealth accumulators, and as a result, the taxes on wealth imposed by this government are nowhere near legitimate.
"Q2. Where is it written that a wealth accumulator should/must/has to feel guilty if he just considers the 'well being of himself?"
In the Bible!
Re your A1................and perchance you would be the legitimate arbitrator of what deems as 'legitimate'???
Re your A2..............Suggest the Bible has been far from a success story since its creation by man and over its many years on the planet, it can take little credit for making the planet 'heavenly' and its adherents/believers and administrators of the 'Faith' have over that time h been guilty of many a crime against humanity. Amen.May 28 2013: .
Blade Runner,
You must be an accountant; your need for lists is showing ;)
1- Thank you for your kind compliment.
2- Come, come now sir, those "questions" are at the core of predatory greed's fundamental philosophy. Which does not, so far as I know, prevent them from being, "un-emotive, objective and direct to the crux of the matter questions."
3- Of course you owe the duly levied taxes. But you also owe your whole society for providing you with the means to accumulate wealth. On top of which, you owe future generations, whether directly your progeny or not, the same opportunity that you had. To me that means doing my best to leave this world a better place for future generations than I found it.
4- True enough but certainly not limited to greed-capitalist economies.
5- Typical supply-side argument. Customers must do a great deal more than "deem fit" a product/service offered; they must have the ability to buy. No money = no sales, no matter how much the product is wanted.
6- I doubt that any one thing is totally responsible for the financial fitness of everyone in a society.
That said, it becomes apparent that one of the jobs of the social system is to broadly determine what the population requires by way of income for them to fulfil the role of consumer. It is to the advantage of the producer to know that his potential customers at least have the funds necessary to buy his product. It is likewise to the advantage of the individual to have the funds necessary to meet his requirements in life.
I have never understood why supply-siders cannot see this point. Since things like off-shoring jobs, increasing population, and automation are reducing "jobs" it behooves us to begin to consider other means of ensuring that the population has an adequate income. It's time to begin separation proceedings (if not divorce) between employment and income. A basic income must be assured. Above that? Well sir, that's what competitive capitalism is for.
Larry Lawson
May 27 2013: .
- +2
Blade Runner,
To respond to your last paragraph first: I made millionaire the first time in 1989; the second time was in 2004 (Yeah, I pushed it the first time and got handed my head).
OK - Back to the top: (A great collection of predatory greed-capitalist questions!)
The taxes imposed by the govt of the day reflects the need of that govt for money. It has nothing to do with what one owes society. As a member of a society, one gets a number of benefits; not least of which is both a market for one's goods/services and a work force which actually does the work which creates the wealth that the "accumulator" accumulates. Plus a safe social environment in which to start and operate a business; no small consideration!
I grow weary of explaining to the half-aware proponents of supply side economics that production serves no purpose without its equivalent rate of consumption. Goods piling up in a warehouse and services not made use of, are not wealth producing. Production does NOT stand alone. It NEEDS consumption. Only when the production/consumption equation is relatively balanced is wealth available for accumulation.
This means that the society which, not only creates an opportunity for producers to produce, but also provides a market for what is produced has a vital stake in the outcome of that production. It MUST be able to consume the production. It is NOT a matter of some non-producers "getting the same" as the producers. It is a matter of making sure that consumers have the wherewithal to consume those goods and services that create the profits the accumulator accumulates.
You can see now that, far from it being detrimental for non-producers to have an income, it is in fact necessary for all members of a society to be able to consume the goods and services produced by those engaged in that production half of the equation in order for the producers to make a profit.
So yes, ensuring the financial health of all IS necessary for the good of the producers.
May 28 2013: If that are true then why is the economy on it's ass? Benny has been workin real hard to make sure there is plenty of cash for all.May 28 2013: Hi Larry............
Let me take your reply one para at a time for ease of reference...
para1. Congrats and good on you for venturing and risking.
para2. Come now Larry, three questions is far from a great collection in anybodies book.:)
As for being 'predatory greed-capitalist questions', I disagree and contend they are
un-emotive, objective and direct to the crux of the matter questions.
para3. Re: 'The taxes imposed by the govt of the day reflects the need of that govt for money. It has nothing to do with what one owes society.' ......suggest that still amounts to the Govt of the day being the controller/representative of the said society which in turn makes a determination that if you are an income earner in that society, you owe your society x$ in taxes.
para4. Suggest consumer markets can not be 'relatively balanced' (as you put it) by any known means to produce predetermined economic outcomes and the continium of the never ending boom-bust cycles attest to that. Business folk/entrepreneurs make decisions/take risks on what they believe the consumer will buy. Not all end up winners.
para5. Suggest the existence of a society/people/customers has the potential to create a market only if the potential customers deem it fit to buy the products.........having a product does not guarantee sales.
para6. No producer would not argue that the more potential consumers there are, the more chance he has to sell, but as to who is responsible for the 'financial health' of all of the consumers on the planet or how many consumers there should be on the planet is when the arguments start to get emotive.
Cheers..............May 27 2013: Laree wanted a creative approach, and you certainly provided one. I love it!
May 28 2013: .
I'm impressed by your comments here and would like to correspond with you by e-mail. Do you have a blog page or URL site where I can send you a private message containing my e-mail address?.......Larry
May 28 2013: Hi, Larry:
Thanks for your compliment. Yes, I have a Google blog. The home page for it is http://restoringdemocracy.blogspot.com/2011/08/awaken-sleeping-eagle.html.
I am also on Facebook, which allows people to send messages, but I have never used it, so I don't know if those messages are pubic or private.
Bob S
May 28 2013: Larry,
- 0
Your proposal seems to be similar to the guaranteed basic income described here
I am curious to know how you envision that unpleasant, hard, or dangerous work (e.g. working in a coal mine, picking lettuce for 10 hours in 100-degree weather, collecting garbage, or mowing my lawn) would get done. Under capitalism, this work is typically done by people who don't have any other option for making living. Who would do these jobs and why would they do them if everyone received their birthright inheritance?
May 28 2013: .
Bob S,
Are you saying that slavery (i.e. coercing people to do work they otherwise wouldn't do) is alive and well in our society? If so.... I wholeheartedly agree. And yes, I think that my suggested system would do away with that financial coercion. But I must point out that EVERY possible solution to the problem of great income disparity also lessens or eliminates such coercion.
I doubt very much that my birthright inheritance scheme would provide people with much more than a decent standard of living. Most people have a great desire for more - much more!
So there you have a lot of people wanting more, for which they need to earn money.... and you have jobs available which need doing. No problem so far.
In our present system the need for an income is so great that the mine owners can get away with paying as little as possible - someone is always needful enough to take the job.
In my system the mine owners simply could not treat their workers like that. People will not be starved into taking dangerous/unpleasant work for anything less than very good remuneration, proper safety measures, and respectful treatment. And all without unions! Think how labor relations will change!
I'd suggest to you that once employers understand that they MUST treat their employees with fairness and respect, they'll learn to do so. Or find a way to do without employees. And if they do that, and increase profits, they'll up the value of their company's shares and thus enrich the whole society whose basic income is derived from corporate shares.
You may begin to see that a great many of society's present day ills will actually be converted into plusses for the members of the society that operates on Citizens' Capitalism instead of predatory, greed-capitalism.
That the playing field is levelled will enhance the ability of capitalism to provide the "good life" rather than destroy life for so many as it does now.
The only good capitalism is fair capitalism.
Floris Koot
May 25 2013: 1. Nobody should ever be allowed to determine their own salary or bonus. It would be better if both shareholders and employees could have a say in top incomes. Why employees, because the top incomes tend to forget they can only do the big stuff, through the podium created by all others, including their private nanny.
- +3
2. Use scientific research and agree upon its findings, we convincingly know big bonuses don't work (wasn't that a TED talk?) and apparently above 10 million people lose scruples and ethics. This is damaging their decision making and our society. Lobby the government about this, create a viral protest. 10 million is enough for everyone to live out their lives very comfortably.
3. Create new values and make them hip. Old value looked at differently: the top is lonely. The palaces of the rich are not palaces of wealth, but the exorbitant hummers of human traffic, estranged from life. New values could include: celebrate heroes for most contributing to society (not like Bill Gates first overcharge billions and than giving a bit away), created the most difference for people in need. Push the press to portray the most magical lives, rather than the financial most successful: performed at Carnagy Hall, helped children in Indian slums and walked 4000 miles to raise awareness for wounded veterans. And most of all put these new heroes on stage at TED!
4. Support swarm intelligence. Show at TED how banks fall if they lose the trust of the masses. And that this trust is not based on spin doctoring and marketing, but of a general feeling that organizations are really of service or not.
5. Support the Green revolution. If everything is replaced with healthy, conscious sustainable buildings and products than there will be work for millions.
6. Answer at TED this question: How can it be we have enough work to do, enough food and houses for everyone and still so many don't have work or a house or enough to eat? What rules need to be changed to fill the gap?May 21 2013: how do we know that inequality is a social issue? it is alarming how few and how weak are the reasonings put forward in favor of inequality being a problem. most people just think it is. some felt the need to go a little more deep, and they dug up some quasi-statistics that not only stink, but does not prove the point either. yet, we just wave a hand, and continue with the assumption that inequality is not only a problem, but one of the biggest, if not the biggest problem of our time. we go so far that many people analyze its roots in the human psyche in detail, and looking for a "solution".
so please tell me, if we have a hundred men, all having one sack of potato, or we have a hundred men, 99 having one sack of potato, and one having a thousand sacks of potato, how is the latter any worse than the former?
usual replies:
1, because it grants him power ... how exactly?
2, because it makes people envious ... sure, so work on that instead, because it is wrong.
3, some research indicates life quality dropping ... it is hard to take such studies seriously, but okay, how? why don't we work on the mechanism?
4, unfair ... how exactly? what if the rich person does not do anything immoral, just makes good decisions? how is success unfair?
the best way to increase social cohesion is peer-to-peer business. if my fellow man is my business partner, his success is my success. his ideas make my life better through better and cheaper goods. his wellbeing is important to me, because he provides some good for me. division of labor makes us a huge cooperative collective in which everyone can find his place, and everyone can contribute and improve.
May 21 2013: I suppose what I would argue is that they should all be given equal opportunity.
It greatly depends how this one man gained his "potatoes".
"it's who you know not what you know"
Considering your situation very rarely happens. That not all are (in-fact) given equal opportunity.
That one man who owns the potatoes would have had an advantage over all the others, which the others might not have been able to gain through sheer hard work.
However it is worth mentioning that you do raise an interesting point about how we compare scenarios. :-)
May 21 2013: the single greatest counter to this who vs what issue is the free market. if people are making decisions about their own property and time, and the stake is their own wellbeing, they tend to maximize efficiency. efficiency does not allow favoring friends. as an entrepreneur, you want the best employees, the best contractors and the best products from the market. an entrepreneur favoring his friends will lose in the competition.
the man who owns the potatoes does not have advantage, as he does not have anything else. he is the potato farmer or farm owner, which means he needs to trade potatoes with people having chickens, computers, cars, etc. or time. people having nothing but time are called employees. and their time (multiplied by knowledge) is just as valuable on the market as cars, potatoes or anything.
May 21 2013: The farmer who has the most potatoes doesn't have an advantage?
He can live longer on the potatoes he got alone, and increase his material well-being. Considering he can eat more potatoes, while the others may have to ration their potatoes.
Consider this :
The man who gained the most potatoes worked hard, yet he just got a good harvest.
While all his friends who worked equally hard, didn't get a good harvest.
Is that fair?
Interesting how my story has no mention of Creativity or intelligence...May 21 2013: how come then, that not the potato farmers, but for example software developers have higher living standards? you certainly can't eat a software, they should die in hunger. but it is not what happens. what happens is that people receive according to their contribution. if you help more people to be a little more satisfied, you get more in return. this is how a modern market economy works.
good harvests and other natural phenomena are outside of the realm of fairness. one man gets sick, another does not. one man is smart, the other is not. one man is strong, the other is not. one man has an idea, the other does not. we can't level the playfield. all we can do is to gain knowledge and technology and build capital to combat the hardships nature puts on us. technology, knowledge and capital grows in freedom.
May 21 2013: Now that's a different story. A completely different story.
Regarding software, I do agree with you (in terms of "eating software"). However there software in turn may be "lucky". However I don't know enough about computer sciences to comment, or coding for that matter.
"other natural phenomena are outside of the realm of fairness"
From that logic I could claim all the economics was unfair. Considering there may be genes which make you more prone to work harder, or if intelligent was mostly genetic. And intelligence is required to do well in business.
Then you could argue that the whole world we have created is unfair.
Hasn't your first point now become slightly redundant? :P
Considering you yourself have said :
"how is success unfair?"
Then you go onto to say :
"one man gets sick, another does not. one man is smart, the other is not. one man is strong, the other is not. one man has an idea, the other does not. we can't level the playfield."
Isn't this a inconsistency in your own logic?
Or have I just misunderstood?
So I ask you what is the purpose of all this "technology, knowledge and capital"?
To be happy? I think I remember discussing this matter with you before, yet material gain doesn't guarantee happiness.
Watch "Dan Gilbert: The surprising science of happiness" :
"if you help more people to be a little more satisfied, you get more in return."
So basically reciprocity? http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reciprocity_(social_psychology)
I view we should help people, not out of self-interest, because it is the right thing to do.
On a side note you may enjoy watching "Michael Norton: How to buy happiness" :
On the matter of how spending money on other people, and charities, can increase happiness more than spending it on yourself.May 21 2013: here is that part: "if intelligent was mostly genetic. And intelligence is required to do well in business.
Then you could argue that the whole world we have created is unfair."
we did not create genes. genes are natural. god given, if you will. so we did not create this unfairness. we got this, and have to live with it. we have to make the maximum out of it.
i don't buy any of these studies. c'mon, money does not make you happy, get real. but even if it was true, it still would not make sense to redistribute it. worthless things are worthless even if redistributed.
May 21 2013: However we don't do a great job of making it fairer?
Do we?
So now you have admitted that some success isn't fair (to me anyway).
"money does not make you happy"
What do you mean by this?
That an increase in material gain (the things money can buy) doesn't make you happy?
"it still would not make sense to redistribute it"
Yes it would. To make other people happy. :-)May 21 2013: i don't think we have to make it fairer. i don't know if it is better or not, i don't even know if we can measure if it is. but even if it would be better, i think we should focus on making life better in general and not fairer.
May 21 2013: Ah!
So now you admit the economic system isn't fair.
Then why did you say " how is success unfair?"
"i think we should focus on making life better in general and not fairer."
By making life fairer you can make life better.
And better for whom?May 21 2013: there is unfairness, but it does not come from inequality. it comes from nature. if nature would not give us any unfairness, and we had inequality, it would be perfectly fair. it would be a result of work.
in a real world, inequality comes from two sources, the randomness of nature is compounded with work and effort.
that said, it does not logically follow that we need to counter natural unfairness. it is a choice, and it needs further consideration if it is a good idea or not. but it is certainly a bad idea to force that decision on others against their will.
May 21 2013: "it does not logically follow that we need to counter natural unfairness"
I believe we should. For it the right thing to do.
Considering many have the potential to do amazingly under the right circumstances.
And we (humans) can shape these circumstances to increase maximal good. Which thus encourages fairness.
So are you basically saying that because nature gives us unfairness and inequality we should embrace it?
This seems extremely cruel to me.
To me it is like saying that if someone is born with a disability, then we should let that person fend for themselves, and slowly die. Rather than trying to find the cure for their troubles. All due to it "not logically follow that we need to counter natural unfairness".
" it is certainly a bad idea to force that decision on others against their will"
I agree. However you could argue it would be a "bad idea" to (ironically) force democracy on people. Is this a "bad idea"? (This point is quite hard to put into words...)
Regards, :D
Bernard.May 22 2013: I really wish that you could explain that to our president.
leslie milam
May 21 2013: Hmm, You have some very good points! I would have to argue that human's tend to go too far with control when it is granted.
- +1
I dare say that any human having too much of one thing while others struggle to manage the limits they have been given is a very unbalanced situation. Along with this, the more quantity one has, the more they tend to want. The less a human has, their behavior is more appreciative and realistic towards their situation. So let's talk a little about control and consumption.
Reduce the amount of control and consumption one is given, and your wealth of inequality will decrease. People might be a little bit level headed than being blinded by their ego perception.
May 21 2013: "is a very unbalanced situatio"
now you have introduced a new term "balanced". without definition, this is too vague.
" the more quantity one has, the more they tend to want"
i disagree. or rather, i agree only in additional terms. if i don't have bread, i want a bread badly. if i have one bread, i probably still want another bread, but not as badly. this is nothing but the law of diminishing returns. we humans tend to always want more, but i refuse to see that as a failure, only in extreme situations. what we need is to put a price tag on everything. if you give something for free, people will want infinite amount of it. if you assign a correct price, the demand will fall to the appropriate level.
May 21 2013: is it true to say they would want an infinite amount of of it? You can scale the traits of human nature up to its vanishing point but I wonder if the conditions were correct if it wouldn't stabilise somewhere more acceptable. Its not the having of the potatoes thats the issue as much as the hoarding of them.
Apple for example are apparently sitting on £95billion in cash reserves. Good luck to them, they are an incredibly creative company in terms of their ability to make products people want and their ability to make them want them. And they have done that where I have not, so why should I demand to spend their money?
But that money isn't working very hard, so rather than take it off them cant we take a portion of the interest and feed it to the government to provide health care or social housing or education? In a UK current account thats around 3billion a year. It would make not one stroke of difference to the Apples or whoever to take 1% and give the other 2% to put to good use – and thats assuming basic investment levels. The same goes for UHNW individuals. They should be allowed to earn their money, as much as they can, and continue to do good work employing others. But to absorb more and more of it just by virtue of having it seems perverse to me. It could make a huge and real difference.
Comment deleted
May 21 2013: it is a level of genius to put forward an argument that is false, but if it would be true, it still would be false.
i clearly was talking about a free market, and freely cooperating individuals. lobbyists and politicians are outside of what i called "peer-to-peer" business. they are oppressive forces.
but even if we accept the existence of politicians and oppression as part of a free market, we can still observe an impressive progress in the living standards of the poorest men. in 1800, average(!) income in the US was like 1500-2000 dollars per year. today, below 11000 or so you are on foodstamps. and this does not include free use of roads and police and other state granted services. it is very hard to say that even the poorest US citizens "do not have potato".May 21 2013: if we are looking for a solution, it automatically means that the current situation is not satisfactory. so nonexistence is not really a counterargument to a proposed solution, is it? so far, formal logic.
continue with basic math and common sense. if at a certain time, the average is 1500, how can you redistribute it to get an average 50000. please note the use of words here. i said average, and not common or median. that is, the total divided by the number of people.
a free market is very much realistic. we don't even need to go to exotic places. 1800, united states. taxes were in the few percent range. tariffs were minimal. regulations were negligible compared to today's levels. and the annual growth was a stable 4%. entire populations were lifted from poverty. the science is solid: welfare and economic freedom goes hand in hand. and nothing else worked so far.
May 27 2013: It is true the average cannot be changed by redistribution. However, the median can be changed. if 99 people have 1 dollar and 1 has 9901 dollars the median is 1 dollar and the average is 100 dollars. If 100 people share 10000 dollars equally the median and average is 100.
The problem is the word fair. What is fair? How do you take the 9801 from one person fairly?May 21 2013: yeah, and the nonexistence of women's suffrage in 1900 is a proof that it never worked ... jeez. heard of a term "progress"?
my numbers does not apply? those were actual real data.
please tell me how statement A, "taxes were a few percent" and statement B, "taxes existed" contradict each other? formal logic? no?
what i support is rather irrelevant. what is relevant is my actual point. it is either true or false.May 21 2013: you moved the goalpost midgame, which is a known fallacy, and a dishonest method in a debate.
what difference does it make from what? fyi it is from gapminder.org
i don't have to show that the free market exists. my point is that it is good, therefore we should implement it. if it existed, we would not have to implement it, would we? duh.May 21 2013: "If you claim something would be good you need evidence that it has been successful."
before i make something, i need to try it? well, let me just say, it does not take a degree in engineering to see why this does not work.
i understand the free market. i have studied it. i have read 12 books on it, and listened to over 50 ours of audio lectures. and it pretty much covered all the falsehoods you put on the table about it. arguing them is less entertaining, more like routine. an entire bookstore could be filled with the works that explain how regulations and the "welfare state" cause the problems you list.May 21 2013: So whats your solution?.. communism? you choose to focus your tunnel vision on those rich people who do bad. You are aware that the rate of moral/social deviance is only like 5% in every society so you think rich people somehow defy that fact and are demons. Dont you think there are a lot of good rich people who use their wealth and influence to do good? how many American billionaires are philanthropists? Wasnt the American founding fathers all rich aristocrats who had everything to loose by signing the Declaration of Independence? why did they do that? wasnt it rich European Aristocrats who ultimately ended the strangle hold the church had in Europe and brought about the Enlightenment under the threat of death?.. tell me where is the common mans role in capitalism? There are many smug Liberals whos oppose capitalism ideologically but still have Chase Bank accounts and wear designer clothes from companies whos products are made in sweat shops. what ever happened to voting with your money and not giving money to companies whos policies you disagree with.. walmarts only rich because of its consumer base period.May 21 2013: "Your potato model shows you do not understand the complexities of an economy."
it can also show that you don't understand the argument.May 21 2013: "It is the power that wealth provides that leads to wealth inequality as the wealthy can use that wealth to buy out all competition, control resources, control government, create laws and even own armies to stop any rebellion that might threaten their wealth."--- if thats not Marxist rhetoric than i dont know what is?
"Yes we have improved the lives of poor people but the system that does that is a system of taxes, minimum wages and social welfare programs designed to reduce wealth disparity so your argument supports the reduction of wealth disparity!"---- Thats not only socialist anti-capitalist think it also is completely false. Free-markets work when they are free, taxation deincentivizes workers and bussineses alike. The competition and incentive provides by free enterprise systems is what continually increase humanities standard of living. Whos going to put all the time and effort engineering new drugs and technologies if there wasnt a pay off and a competitor who motivates drive to innovate faster... The facts are there every country who has established a certain level of legitimacy in government and economics has a standard of living and average anual income rate that is perpetually increasing.May 21 2013: What do you mean by regulations? Obviously markets need to be policed to an extent and need minor top down implementation but that entirely different than subsidies and fiats. You probably have not a single idea of economics do you? First of all, arguing the side of justice, its your regulations that make American style economics unfair. Your regulators tax and regulate which stifles growth of small business while simaltaneously implementing huge corporate welfare policies benifitng large enterprises. Oh and if you knew the politics behind subsidies and corporate welfare you would see that the legislators pass these laws under the pretense of helping the average joe because our genious regulators believe that companies like Wal-mart not only employ many Americans but also provide goods and servces so they shouldnt pay their fair share.. How do you expect somebody to strive for success as an entrepaneur when big companies have unfair legal advantages and are getting taxed 25% of their profits while Wal-marts and jewels are getting taxed like 5%. ALso whos going to be motivated to do something with their lives if they can just collect welfare checks, section 8, and food stamps and not have to do anything. Dont you think the welfare state and the corporate welfare state are like government being a bad parent and enabling their childs bad behavior?May 21 2013: you think im enforcing your point but thats because you have not a clue about encomics, period. You probably couldnt give me one example of a government subsidy and how its used theoretically to protect
a market and its consumer? You cant because you are politically, legally, and economically illiterate. You cant even grasp my point without distorting it. My point; Legislation passed under the pretense of helping
ends up hurting because the very policies have loop holes and stipulations that favor big enterprises.. for example the housing market between 78 and 02. Your a big environmental guy and i bet you agree with the governments percieved attempts to maintain agriculture and create green jobs while totally ignoring who is really benefiting..May 21 2013: You have selective perception or something because your not comprehending. subsidies are not FREE market but actually the opposite and yes although some subsidies are lobbyed for on a complete financial basis many if not most are lobbyed for on an ideological basis. Governments in many cases intervene with the best intention but it backfires so Get Government out of the way and let the markets be free of restraint.. thats what im saying.. Government shouldnt have a finger on the dial hence keep markets free.. policing a markets a differant story, two different things. Supply and demand should dictate the markets and not government subsidies which create artificial variables. Why do you think im arguing against free markets when im arguing clearly against government interventionism?May 21 2013: Actually the market can and does regulate itself thats the very argument for capitalism as put by Smith. I think markets should be 95% free with 5% regulation and that regulation pertains to trust and monopolies as you put.May 21 2013: wow.. i thought we were getting on the same page, guess not. It was regulation that cause the economic collape.. if banks and mortgage companies didnt get leverage from government authorized fiats the situation would never have existed to manifest the vulture capitalism which ensued. 52%of all mortgages given out between 78 and 02 where under government subsidation. what that means is those lenders would never have loaned the money had government not backed these lenders with fake assetts and derivatives. The banking system itself is centralized by fiats and had a lot to do with the collapse and thats not the free market thats government protection and legislative authority. China is a perfect example of governmentism. Its the chinese government which works with corporations to legally bind its people into working in sweat shops.
Companies can self regulate if left alone its when government steps in when it create conditions which are unnatural to the system and are manipulated. Does coca-cola only follow safety guidelines because the law forces it to or do you think its in their best interest to satisfy its consumer so therefore not poisoning them. The same principle is in effect everywhere unless government steps in a protects and manipulates the organic system which is capitalism.May 21 2013: Banks and mortgage companies are corporation but are backed up by FIATS and therefore have special authorities and privileges given by government. First of all banks are so far away from a free-market enterprise in many ways for many reasons i dont feel is necessary to get into however with mortgage companies, banks where protected and given authority by government to do many deeds very contradictery to your typical free-market model. If banks and mortgage companies where left to be just corporations and not government arms than yes they would self regulate like other companies.May 22 2013: corporations may want government to do their bidding but unless the government actually does than no evil happens. Lobbying would end too if the governments just stepped to the side, but they dont, and like i said before governments call upon corporations to do their bidding as well. Having a law to protect society from corporate wrongdoings is totally different than a government determining the factors that make up a market. so like i said governments should police a market but not have their butts in the way that markets operates unless its interfering with the rights of another person or enterprise.
Keith W
May 22 2013: i think i agree with you totally. Lobbying is a huge problem and definitely undermines the principle of democracy. Governments have a monopoly on force and true constitutionalism and Libertarianism is about limiting the way government utilizes that force. The danger is that the government deploys that force under the pretense of doing good and its absolutely doing harm. And like you pointed out when money making enterprises are in allegiance with the consolidator of force then there is real trouble.May 31 2013: We must get back to a foundation built on morality and empathy, i.e. try to get our "needs" met vs our "wants". But once greed grabs hold, it is a never ending escalation of basic immorality. Then revolution and starting over again becomes necessary...either that or mass extinction of the greedy human race.
- +1
May 31 2013: Curious here M-L Reifschneider ..............like to bench mark MORALITY and EMPATHY for us please?
Likewise NEEDS and WANTS?
And while your at it, also what deems greed as apposed to higher attainment/achievement?
Just asking............
Amy Winn
May 29 2013: This is a subject that comes up on a regular basis with my husband, John and I. John works a 45 hour per week job, only to have his paycheck chopped up with taxes. We live in a very tiny home, with a high rate interest only mortgage, (so we'll never own it) and drive a14 year old vehicle. We also have extensive medical bills as I have had a very long history of major illnesses. But we have clean clothes and food in the fridge. Now, John is a proud and calm person, while I am angry and I'll tell you why. We have a neighbor, names Rachel. Rachel has three illegitimate children and lives in a larger house than ours, only she is on section 8 housing and pays nothing for her home. She also receives food stamps, so her food is free. Rachel does this for a very simple reason, because she can! So why does my husband pay taxes, a mortgage and all of the rest of our living expenses and we get no help from anyone? He says that I should be proud and happy, but I am not. There is so much inequity and that is on this very small level. Now, I'll tell you about my brother. He just purchased a 10 miilion dollar plus mansion, but our mother still has a car payment. So, my point here is, if you can't even have equity on the same block or in the same family, what makes you think you will ever see it in the world?
- +2
May 29 2013: Well Amy.............suggest your undermentioned.....
"We have a neighbor, names Rachel. Rachel has three illegitimate children and lives in a larger house than ours, only she is on section 8 housing and pays nothing for her home. She also receives food stamps, so her food is free. Rachel does this for a very simple reason, because she can!"
Is a classic case of where the socialists rob John & Amy to pay/support Rachel!
pat gilbert
May 30 2013: Amy I hear you and of course it is outrageous.
- +1
You cannot control Rachel, if you try you are going to lose. Just see things as they are and just control what you can control.
Otherwise your illnesses are just going to get worse.May 30 2013: Amy, I agree with both Pat and BR on this - completely outrageous, and proof that the system is faulty. What you experience, happens here too.
Sounds like you are caught between two extreme examples of financial flukes - Rachel thinks she has a good thing going, but her lack of integrity and authenticity by taking advantage of the system will eventually be her downfall. Your brother can justify taking a huge financial risk in investing in material possessions and status, and convince himself his decisions have nothing to do with the welfare of your mother. I can't help but think, this decision will become his downfall as well.
I am impressed with your integrity and strength. Although you're aware of the inequity around you, you say "we have clean clothes and food in the fridge". What more do you really need?? Your health. The inequity, as atrocious as it is, will always be there. You have the misfortune to see it on a daily basis, which makes it harder to filter out. It seems to me, your priorities are clear - your loving husband, your health and your home. Your 'poor' brother, and 'poor' Rachel, may never get to know the importance of these simple things that you have a firm grasp on, because they are too wrapped up in status and deceit.May 28 2013: It all starts with education. As early as possible we need to be teaching children to want a fulfilling life where they can have a profession that is contributing to their community, not teaching them to crave a large paycheck. I read a quote recently on the Earth Charter Initiative website that said, "We must realize that when basic needs have been met, human development is primarily about being more, not having more."
Its hard to say what realistic we can do to something that is already so devastating to our global village, but if we get back to basics, we can set a better example for future generations.
wayne uejio
May 28 2013: so long as there are differences in ability, grit, drive, there will be wealth inequalities. All we can hope for is reasonable equal opportunity. today, equal opportunity is not always there.
- +2
Ray Givler
May 26 2013: The most realistic way to reduce wealth inequality is a free-market economy - historical evidence throughout the world supports this view. The US does not have a free-market; it has cronyism - corporate favors doled about by government and laws that keep poor business leaders in their jobs and poorly run businesses operating. Read Economics in One Lesson by Henry Hazlitt (free .pdf online). Go to the learnliberty website and learn about concepts like individual rights, property rights, and legal plunder.
- +2
The impact of wealth inequality is also proportional to a society's belief that wealth inequality is bad. As long as there is inequality in demand for various marketable skills, there were be wealth inequality (currently, wealth is not proportional to marketable skills because of the aforementioned government intervention). So, basically, the current distribution is bad and unethical, but even an ethical distribution would result in fast inequality in something of a bell curve/normal distribution. Unfortunately, many unskilled people don't think, "Gee, I had an opportunity for 12 years of public education but blew it. I can't read. I can't even make change. My skills are in the bottom 0.1%, so I really can't expect a job." Instead, they think, "Wow, this is unfair. That guy has $1 million and I have nothing. Someone should take from him and give to me."
Those who think wealth inequality is bad are already free to organize and redistribute their own wealth and talent to try to help others to obtain more (for instance, by encouraging reading among disadvantaged youth). However, many are not satisfied with that and are sucked down the immoral path of voting for those who establish policies of stealing wealth from some citizens and giving it to others - that's an inherent violation of liberty and property rights (assuming the wealth was obtained ethically and not through cronyism).
May 28 2013: If you study history, you will find that the primary inherrent downfall of capitalism is that ultimately "the rich get richer and the poor get poorer". Then there is revolution and we start all over again with a society whose foundation is built on moral principles, as ours once was.
May 28 2013: if you read marx. but if you read mises or rothbard, you get another picture.
Larry Lawson
May 25 2013: Men do not come together as societies in order to enrich a few and enslave the rest. We create societies which we expect to benefit all members of that society. Societies have two main components: a social system and an economic system.
- +2
It is the job of the social system to determine the goals of the society.
It is the job of the economic system to provide the financial means by which the society may achieve those goals.
Once that is understood we can examine things much more easily. Our social system is responsible for laying out the goals of the society. Do we want everyone fed, housed, clothed, healthy, content, educated, unthreatened by lack of income, etc.?
It is the goal of a capitalist economic system to amass as much wealth BY ANY MEANS POSSIBLE as it can. An economic system is like fire. It just does what it does; it has no conscience; it has no brain. It MUST be kept under strict control if it is to serve us well. At present it is out of control. It has forced economic rules upon the social system that make it easier for it to operate as rapaciously as it does. This is the tail wagging the dog. It's upside down. The social system must regain control of this raging fire and put it to work serving social goals for the good of the whole society.
The obvious inequality of wealth has to be brought to an end. A very serious redistribution of wealth is indicated and necessary. A great many people know this already. The chief alternate to our present system seems to be a communal society where all is shared by means of ownership of the wealth a society creates being vested in "the people" by way of its governing bodies.
I think this stinks. Ownership of this sort is NOT ownership by the people. We've seen this tried and it didn't work. People want their fair share of the wealth of the society as their own personal property; to do with as they wish. To increase if they wish and to spend as they wish.
My next comment will state how I think this can be done
May 26 2013: No. Above is the common confusion of capitalism with cronyism. Cronyism is government promoting monopolies and allowing companies to poison water, air, and people. Allowing fraud. Breaking contracts and investment rules for political payoffs and all that.
Capitalism requires free markets, which we don't have - especially in areas like healthcare and education. Please folks, educate yourselves in the concepts of classical liberalism.
May 26 2013: .
Absolutely wrong. You confuse capitalism with a social system. It ain't no such animal. It is an economic system and, as such, it needs to be strictly and completely controlled by the social system that makes use of it.
Allowing "Free Market" (laissez faire) capitalism to operate with no controls is like setting your house alight to keep warm. That fire will indeed keep you warm - too damn warm for your liking in just a few minutes! You don't set an economic system free to ravage your society for the same reason your don't set fire free to ravage your home; both will seek to consume everything in sight.
Both fire and capitalism are great - but very dangerous - tools. Both offer the potential of great good to us. But both, if they obtain mastery of us, will destroy us in a twinkling.
A society DOES NOT exist for the mere purpose of feeding an economic system. The Libertarian, Ayn Randian notion that it does - or ought to - is what brought down the USSR. It disturbs me to see that same notion, now applied to capitalism, being promoted.
Human societies exist to serve their human members; NOT to serve an economic system.
Economic systems exist to serve human societies. Economic systems have no existence outside of a society. And that, my dear sir, is why the social system of a society absolutely MUST get, and keep, full control of the economic system.
Nisarg Shah
May 22 2013: I can think of two approaches: 1) Teach sciences to the poor and 2) Teach social sciences to the rich.
- +2
Poor will be able to earn and hopefully, rich would be able to understand their moral responsibilities towards society.
In addition, as someone has pointed out, if non-homogeneous distribution of money is not actually a problem, the approach I have suggested will have no impact on it as no monetary policy related changes are involved.May 21 2013: Have a serious re-think of what it really is that makes us 'wealthy'.
Then we can work on 'inequality'. We may even find that inequality disappears all by itself without any prompting, if wealth had a different identity.
May 22 2013: InterestingMay 21 2013: education does help:)
May 21 2013: I would add to that teaching the importance/benefit of Self-Reliance.May 21 2013: Well said Edulvor.
Education is the key. It might not make you rich but it sure does make you a better person. Ithink education should be first cure to all diseases.
Karl Meyer
May 21 2013: A couple thoughts:
- +2
1) On empowering the poor: Since New Zealand operates on the capitalist model, I would say that one route to narrowing the gap between rich and poor may be to empower the poor by creating programs to encourage small scale entrepreneurship. This may entail setting up a micro-loan system (Look up Muhummad Yunus, Grameen, Kiva) , educating people about basic business principles, and community building through social programs that would aim at reducing/eliminating the negative effects of poverty (drugs, crime) that would interfere with the healthy growth of a business community.
2) Thoughts on social cohesion: Poverty carries a stigma. It is a vicious circle: poverty, crime, drugs, health problems, social and psychological problems....stigma (not necessarily in that order...I'm wingin' it!). To achieve greater social cohesion, I would think that this stigma would have to be overcome. One way would be to involve successful business people in the process. Another way would be to have community programs (sports, health, spiritual) such as you may find in a community center (at least here in Canada).
You may also want to look up Gabor Mate. He is famous in Vancouver (at least) for his ideas on the subject.
Hope this helped. Good luck:) KM


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Moderators: Tonyblack, Jason, Toothy
wicked woman wrote:Ordered some certificates for my family history stuff.
Catch-up wrote:wicked woman wrote:Ordered some certificates for my family history stuff.
Cool! I've always thought of looking into our family history. Is it difficult to find the stuff you need?
Ava was soooo much better when she got up yesterday. I decided to walk downtown and check out the Wine, Women & Shopping event. I've never made it to one and thought I'd see if I could get some xmas shopping done. Really beautiful day, perfect weather! Really busy though, some of the shops were difficult to move through. I did get some gifts for my sister. And, splurged on a new pair of shoes for me.
This made me laugh. Grandson - age 16 - in a converstion with mates about sharks always having to swim. "How do they sleep?" "They never sleep properly." " Is that why they keep attacking other fish? Because they're sleep deprived and bad tempered? Do they swim round yelling GET OUT OF MY WAY!!!" Sounds entirely plausible to me.
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Jan 17, 2007
The LEGO concept - a role model for modern IT architectures (?)
Now everyone will be able to explain to non-technical people what SOA is henceforth (and moreover, why LEGO in fact isn't a toy (only)) ;-)
5 comments:
This weekend, I will try to do a article with the matter. This is my IT field.
Best Regards.
Juan Antonio Breña Moral
- Jan 17, 2007, 8:44:00 PM
- Jim Kelly said...
An interesting article - not too deep on actual concepts but the theory is sound. I remember an old programming course at University where I was introduced to Object Oriented Programming and thinking how cool the ultimate concept was but ultimately becoming disappointed that the class could never actually use it to build programs that operated properly together (we all had our own ideas of OOP and how it should be implemented).
I've ALWAYS wondered why my high school Chemistry teacher never used LEGO in the classroom to demonstrate certain concepts... likewise, Physics could also benefit from using the blocks. What else? Well, as an English major also, I remember how boring learning sentence structure and all those other literary devices (allegory, hyperbole, etc.) could be demonstrated using colored LEGO bricks... okay, maybe that's a stretch, but most of us, I think, learn the best VISUALLY. Color, shape, and other characteristics that can be seen by the eye all help memory form (plus sound, but LEGO pieces have yet to make noise other than motors and bricks) and stick... concepts we learn might stay with us a lot longer (I can't remember 95% of my chemistry material, but I can tell you the color of the different NXT components in my favorite bot).
Sorry for the ramble... good article reference, Matthias.
- Jan 18, 2007, 12:39:00 AM
- Matthias Paul Scholz said...
I'm entirely of your way of thinking.
Actually, I do not remember much of my Physics lessons (maybe that's the reason why I've indulged into Pure Mathematics later on), but even today I can tell the sort of shirts our Physics teacher had been wearing. ;-)
Reminds me of the concepts of Montessori pedagogy - I wonder if that has made its way over the pond?
- Jan 18, 2007, 1:15:00 AM
- Jim Kelly said...
Oh, yes... Montessori schools are very popular in the USA.
- Jan 18, 2007, 1:39:00 AM
- Robotica said...
See I was right, at my former job I was a technical trainer for SOA. so it all fits :)
I always compared our software with a LEGO box, and I said we have to deliver the same:
- a box, with a cover that is similar to the content
- all the necessary pieces
- a manual that is correct, and breaks down the integration in easy steps.
I also used the fact that the LEGO-brick is the smallest unbreakable component, and for that we always need to look for those before we start troubleshooting.
- Jan 18, 2007, 5:40:00 AM


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CrysaniaMajere wrote:Dotsie wrote:It's sampling bias. Trekkies are all off playing dress-up and arguing over which was the best captain
What's there to argue? It was obviously Picard!
and my number 1 is always star trek, but I admit I couldn't be bother to register in order to vote.
You don't need to, you can use other sites, yahoo, google (and all their partner ones like youtube, etc), twiiter, facebook, etc
Tonyblack wrote:I really kind of dislike polls. They are never truly representative and never will be unless people actually tell the truth rather than responding about wheat they think should be the 'right' answer or the answer that makes them look the best. And then you have a whole and very large section of the population that refuses to take part in polls: another factor in making any results meaningless.
In a case like this, it's about which sort of fans can be bothered to vote. It's like these online polls where an Internet friend can win a competition due to a (for example) photo they have submitted to a competition. Then it's rarely about how good the photo is, it's more about how many Internet friends you have. And that's how it should be. I don't think anyone should take these sort of polls too seriously. The magazines tend to do them because they get a good response and people get annoyed when something they consider to be rubbish, gets lots of votes.
Its all in good fun. (even debates resulting from them) I never take them seriously and i don't think most people do either (even ones that may act like they do) they can get conversations going, and like most stuf online they provide a small distraction.


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Dana should poke Jones in the eyes.
My guess is that he "knows" he isn't invincible against Goose, and would rather take a chance at a reasonably risky unknown than a rematch against a known serious threat. He is probably way more comfortable when he can at least tell himself he is the better fighter going in. Plus, it doesn't look like ducking when you call out DC...even though it is.
Can't we just have a triple threat match? Just this once
Seriously though, I don't think it's being done to hype the rematch between Pokes and Gus. That fight is already going to sell HUGE because of how good/close the first fight was, and they're on the cover of the UFC game. Most anticipated rematch since Silva/Sonnen.
Personally, I think DC is a worse matchup for Jones than Goose. I'd like to give Jones the benefit of the doubt and think that he'd rather face an equally tough, or potentially tougher, fighter in DC, than rematch a guy who he already has a win over. It's not like DC doesn't have some hype behind him now.
You have to know what you don't know.
Favorite Fights: Jonny Bones Jones, Wandy, Hendo, Cain, Matt Hughes, Melvin.
Most disliked fighters: Michael Bisping, Spankie Edgar, Alistair Overeem, Anderson Silva, Tim Sylvia, Chuck Liddell
I'd also say one or two questions in an interview don't equate to what jones has done: he went on a very outspoken and specific pogram to devalue Cormier as a candidate, saying he hasn't beaten anyone, and that a win over Cummins wasn't anything, etc. Aldo didn't do anything like that, he simply said Lamas has a better record--and he was right.
There is also a big difference between the rematches in that the Goose/jones was a razor thin, controversial decision. Aldo finished Mendes in the first round. I understand there is controversy from the fence grab, but Mendes was losing that round regardless, his shots were getting stuffed and he was lit up on the feet. You can't really compare the two scenarios with any degree of parity.
On the Georges/Diaz thing, I'm leaning on taking St. Pierre's word for it that he was told to fight Nick over Hendricks, and the "Georges asked for him" was so much smoke and mirrors; but that's because of an admitted bias against dana's bullshit. But I'd agree 100% that it was wrong and it stands as a tremendous black mark on an otherwise sterling career for St. Pierre.
In short, I'd say there are multiple examples of champions being too vocal about who they should fight next, I actually think that's encouraged by zuffa brass. Anderson and soares were among the very worst.
But I can't think of anyone who has brought it down to the level jones seems to be doing.
Again, I'm willing to give him some benefit of the doubt, as the primary source of this is dana, and dana lies. but the clock is ticking on him.
Fighters fight. Champions defend against the best.
Anything else is ducking.
All manner of men came to work for the News: everything from wild young Turks who wanted to rip the world in half and start all over again -- to tired, beer-bellied old hacks who wanted nothing more than to live out their days in peace before a bunch of lunatics ripped the world in half.
Dr. Hunter S. Thompson
The Rum Diary
Yeah, Bye.
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This sunhood comes complete with sunhood frame. It is compatible with a pre-2010 urban or urban elite buggies, however the existing circular sunhood attachment brackets on your buggy frame will need to be drilled out to fit the new brackets. New brackets can be ordered separately as a sunhood locator kit .
*See instructions here .


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Fast food overtakes traditional cuisine in France for the first time
Traditional sit-down restaurants, historically a sacrosanct part of the French way of life, have been dethroned by fast food for the first time, with hamburgers and gourmet sandwiches outselling more classic Gallic cuisine.
Fast food swiped 54 per cent of the market last year for a turnover of 34 billion euros (£29 billion), according to Gira Conseil, an influential food consultancy. The figure represents a huge jump from 2011, when fast food only claimed 40 per cent of overall market share.
"In previous years, we could see fast food was gaining ground, but this is the first time it has overtaken restaurants where you are served at the table," said Julien Jeanneau of Gira Conseil.
Fast food's culinary coup d'Etat was down to the multiplicity of new products on the market, he added.
"Before it was mainly sandwiches and hamburgers, today an array of thematic outlets offering salads, bagels or kebabs are strangling traditional restaurants," he said.
The other nail in the coffin of the sit-down meal is the dwindling amount of time the French – long reputed to be lovers of the long lunch – spend on their meals.
The average time spent on meal in France has dropped from an hour and 20 minutes in 1975 to half an hour today, according to Gira.
France's tradition of the three-course restaurant lunch, washed down with a bottle of wine, was long seen as a civilised way of distinguishing the country's well-fed workers from the desk-bound English and their BLT sandwiches.
But another recent survey suggests the French now take just 22 minutes to wolf down their midday meal.
The result, it said is that the French are increasingly turning into a nation of nibblers.


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Software tool for material and energy flow calculation and analysis based on graphical modelling of process systems. It has been developed by ifu (Institute for Environmental Informatics) in cooperation with ifeu (Institute for Energy and Environmental Resarch) since 1993.
Based on the concept of material flow networks, the powerful calculation algorithm of Umberto allows to determine all material and energy flows in the system under study. The user can define the system boundaries and can analyse the flows by "zooming" into the hierarchical model and the desired level of detail. Both site/process-oriented as well as product-related analysis are possible. Different technology alternatives can be compared by scenario comparison. Results can be displayed as tables or diagrams. The user can assess the results with individually defined key indicators or apply environmenal impact assessment methods (such as the Eco Indicators) to study the environmental performance of a process system. Material and process costs can be entered to calculate cost balances, adding the financial perspective to the inventory, thus supporting the decision making process.
Main benefits of using the software: knowledge of all flows in the process system, transparency, visualization, analysis and assessment under economic and environmental aspects. Screen Shots
material and energy flow analysis, process optimization, environmental impact assessment, material flow cost accounting, life cycle assessment (LCA), life cycle costing (LCC)
Expertise Required
Special expertise not required, engineering background is of help. Training not required (software delivered with tutorial), but recommended.
Approximately 750, concurrent/non-named licenses, mostly in Europe, some in the U.S., some in Asia (Japan, Thailand, Taiwan).
process engineers, environmental managers, results can be used by controllers and managers, researchers, consultants
User can model process systems graphically. Process specifications by user input (simple linear with coefficients, parameterized, non-linear with mathematical functions). Data import from external sources. Advanced description with scripting. Process data library included (approx. 650 processes). Interfaces to other process databases, such as XML-based import/export of EcoSpold datasets from ecoinvent (>2500 processes) or NREL LCI Database.
Calculated inventory data (for whole process system or selected sections) is displayed in tables and/or diagrams. This includes flows, stocks, parameters, material properties, indicators, costs, etc. Various views on inventory data, e.g. process contribution to consumption. More than 20 diagrams (2D/3D), chart wizard for comfortable diagram modification. Additional graphical output: Sankey diagram (Flow Chart) Pre-defined standard print reports, export of all relevant data in standard formats (e.g. to Excel).
Computer Platform
PC, Pentium III or higher, 512 MB RAM or higher, 150 MB or more free hard disk space, Windows 98SE/ME/NT4>SP6/2000/XP/Vista. Requires Microsoft .NET 2.0 Framework.
Programming Language
Delphi. Visual Studio, C#
The modelling of process systems is not limited to a specific sector or field of application. Umberto has proven its usability in many practical applications in industry, research and consulting. This standard software tool can be used for both, site/process related studies or product related studies. Regarding process data availability, Umberto has a library of approx 600 parameterizable and adaptable standard processes (energy, transport, plastics, metals, waste treatment, ...) but the focus is on interfaces that allow the user to link to other publicly available process libraries or his own databases. Umberto can be customized to adapt it to specific requirements. The COM/DCOM interface allows interaction with other applications. One customer from the facility engineering / semiconductor sector, for example, has linked Umberto to his existing design tools, in order to be able to provide material and energy flow models at a very early stage of fab layout planning and design, using the available equipments as process modules from the library. There is a large and active user community, exchange of experience is motivated through a web-based User Forum and regular Umberto User Workshops.
Not applicable as operational support (realtime process control), but rather as a planning or controlling instrument.
ifu Hamburg GmbH
Grosse Bergstrasse 219
+49 (40) 48 000 9-0
+49 (40) 48 000 9-22
Costs for a single license (based on US$ conversion as of December 2006),
significant rebates apply from 2nd license on:
US$ 12,990 Umberto 5 consult
US$ 8,600 Umberto 5 business
US$ 9,800 Umberto 5 academic
US$ 650 Umberto 5 educ (single license)
US$ 2,000 Umberto 5 educ (5 license pack)
US$ 3,300 Umberto 5 educ (10 license pack) �
We have local distribution partners in USA, Australia, Spain, Netherlands, Italy, France, Austria, Switzerland. Please contact email@example.com for distribution partner details.


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Monday, November 26, 2012
Barn Hop #89
8 comments:
Thanks for hosting!ReplyDelete
We are kicking off the holiday season by filling our home with holiday cheer the healthy way. I shared a sweet, spicy, and decadent simmering potpourri recipe that doesn't fill the air with fake scents that are harmful and toxic to us and our children.
You can also get a sneak peek at our holiday preparations.
The Official Scent of Christmas; A Simmering Potpourri Recipe
Thanks for hosting as always...hope you had a nice Thanksgiving! Blessings!ReplyDeleteReplies
Thank you, Nancy... We did! Very blessed time and as you probably noticed, I took a little blog break. Hope you holiday was just as lovely!Delete
Hi Amy, Thanks for hosting this fun blog hop once again! :)ReplyDelete
Can you guide me towards where I might find the code to cut paste to include the Homestead Barn Hop button on my post? I apologize for being so computer un-savvy... I've included a link to this hop, but would love to have the actual button on my post.
Thank you!Replies
No problem! On the right sidebar there is a link with a chicken (about midway down) that says "Buttons; Take One". Click that and you'll find what you need.Delete
Hello Amy!ReplyDelete
My family spent part of this weekend making a Nativity Scene for my daughters using blown eggs from our backyard chickens. I hope you enjoy the post.
Thank you for your hospitality!
Kathy Shea Mormino
The Chicken Chick
First time linking up! I am thrilled to have found your blog and excited to join in and share a bit about our small family farm.ReplyDeleteReplies
Welcome, Sherri! Glad to have you link up and join us!Delete
Thank you for visiting Homestead Revival™! Please feel free to contribute to the conversation by leaving your comments. "Let no unwholesome word proceed from your mouth, but only such a word as is good for edification according to the need of the moment, so that it will give grace to those who hear." Eph. 4:29


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Mount Saint Mary College is excited to be offering a short term
January and July interim training program for high-level
managerial students in emerging countries. With tracks in health
care management, marketing,financial and project management, and
strategic thinking the goal is to empower participants with
current management tools and provide international experience.
Geared to undergraduate students and recent graduates, this
intensive program lasts three weeks, with classes and activities
full time. This program will run for the first time in January and
July 2014.
To facilitate access for students from emerging countries to
these courses, students are supported by an extensive and
successful program of scholarships, covering 70% of their
expenditure on the course chosen.
We invite everyone to know of and participate in these
Prof. Ricardo de Britto Pitelli
Doctor of Business Administration from FEA / USP Representative of
State University of New York and Mount Saint Mary College
The courses are aimed at undergraduates and recent graduates
with an interest in pursuing studies in specific areas of
management (see course listings below) while also developing their
level of English language proficiency. The goal is to create a
foundation in business studies, providing the student with an
advanced vision of contemporary topics on the chosen theme and a
vital international experience. Classes are taught entirely in
English, with lessons and activities full time.
The courses are three weeks in length. To ensure close contact
between teacher and students, classes are composed of groups with
between 15 and 30 participants. In January, classes will be taught
at Mount Saint Mary College, except of course for Health Care
Management that happens both in January and in July at MSMC.
Program Highlights include:
Intensive Courses in Business and Health Administration in the
United States.
Visits to companies
A program tailored to your needs
The courses allow students to leverage their expertise in an
international program without having to disconnect themselves from
their home university or internship in their country of origin. The
programs, equivalent to a postgraduate extension, were structured
to be routed in January, leaving free three weekends in one of the
most sought after tourist regions of the world.
Certificates (see below details on the certification issued to
participants) are conferred based on classroom participation and
experential learning. Students have weekly assignments and seminars
and the goal is to structure a program which is both participatory
and concrete, in which students actively engage in the development
of practical activities.
Health Care Management – HCM
Hospital Management with focus on quality management on health
care and managing health services, Health Law and bioethics,
approaching contemporary topics in this field, Health Financing,
discussing the relationship between health care and public sector
organizations and the private sector.
Marketing and Value Management – MVM Identifying Marketing Opportunities; Developing Marketing
Plans, Building Competitive Marketing Mix. Company visits and
business case studies. Business Inglês.
Competitive Project Management – CPM Foundations of Project Management; Special topics in
Project Management; New Frontiers in Project Management. Company
visits and business case studies. Business Inglês.
Corporate Financial Management – CFM Introduction to Corporate Financial Management, Financial
Strategy and Budget; Special topics in Financial Management.
Company visits and business case studies. Business Inglês.
Strategic Thinking - ST Introduction to Strategic Thinking; Environmental and
Internal Analysis, Building Competitive Strategies. Company visits
and business cases; business Inglês.
Previous readings: students will receive a set of articles to
read, approximately four months in advance, allowing the best
preparation for classes.
* Subject to change according to the coordination.
The MCH program provides two visits to healthcare organizations
in New York, with the goal of providing a direct contact with these
institutions and a professional on-site observation of their daily
reality. The group will visit a company or receive classroom a
local manager to provide an opportunity to interact live with the
reality of U.S. business. Students will also receive suggestions
for visits to organizations and events to be developed by the
students choice in their free time.
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Pronunciation: věděn
Added on: 2010-09-17 Listened: 39 timesin: conjugate Czech irregular verbs
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Saturday ReviewMr. Dickens may be reasonably proud of these volumes.... he has written a story that is new, original, powerful and very entertaining.... It is in his best vein, and although it is too slight, and bears many traces of hasty writing, it is quite worthy to stand beside Martin Chuzzlewit and David Copperfield.
—July 20, 1861


text: Landscape What does it take to build a landscape? How do you start with a vision and turn it into a beautiful, functional reality? It takes a lot more than muscle and the right equipment. With any landscape construction project, success starts long before the first sales call or bid. More


text:
Attention TV/radio announcers:
Please broadcast the following as soon as possible and repeat it at regular intervals:
The Leisure and Cultural Services Department announced today (March 9) that since the water off Silverstrand Beach in Sai Kung District was now suitable for swimming, the red flag had been lowered.
The red flag was hoisted at the beach after a red tide was found.
Ends/Monday, March 9, 2009


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A free-thinking aesthetic that speak volumes. Delicate, articulated spheres of gold, speckled with diamonds or pink sapphires. A celebratory, extravagant allure that sparkles with grace.
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Published on Wednesday, November 10 2010 13:43
Dear Lyon-ites,
We want to thank everyone who made it out to our Farmers Market this past summer and fall. We had a fabulous season with beautiful veggies, eggs, and flowers from the Farmette, Pachamama, Aspen Moon, and Lone Hawk farms. We'll be back again next year and we're already looking forward to it, after we lay low a while for the winter!
Thanks again,
Login to read more: Thank you for a Fabulous Season!
Published on Thursday, October 28 2010 01:00
Login to read more: Vote yes on 1B!
Published on Thursday, October 14 2010 01:00
Login to read more: Heartfelt Thank You
Published on Thursday, October 14 2010 01:00
Published on Wednesday, September 29 2010 14:41
Dear Editor,
The Lyons Garden Club and the Town of Lyons were the recipients of many many beautiful plants and shrubs to enhance our town ABSOLUTELY FREE from Mary Bukszar owner of Ute Trail
Login to read more: Thank you, Mary, a million times over!
Purchase A Subscription: Thank you, Mary, a million times over!


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Get 6 months financing on orders of $99 or more when you pay with Bill Me Later through PayPal at our Checkout Page.
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First off if you know the history of programers Hypertech basically invented them, I have tried others and found this one the best, remeber you are modifying big time your trucks computer so it has to be perfect! And you wont have any issues with this one. Increased Power and better fuel milage, plus a myrid of options for adj speedo tire ratio, clearing DTC,s axel ratio's to name a few. I def recommend this programer.
Current Mods:
Hypertech Programed out to level 3, Volant intake, Silverline exhaust, Weston Genx's,Ultra badland wheels,Trex up class grille.
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St. Edward's Student Changing How We Grow Food with His Invention, AquaSprouts
By Daniel Armbruster
Fox Austin
The technique may seem slightly fishy at first, but a young Texas entrepreneur is creating a way to use your home fish tank to help fill your refrigerator.
"The fish create waste and the pump suck up the fish's waste into the grow bed and bacteria convert this fish's waste into fertilizer," said Jack Ikard, creator of 'AquaSprouts'.
That's right, a system that takes the poop out of your fish aquarium at home to grow vegetation right above. Jack Ikard didn't invent aquaponics, but the 20-year old St. Edwards student invented 'AquaSprouts'; offering a new way for consumers to look at how they grow their food.
"I take some basil and put it into my sandwiches all the time. I have a whole system at my house dedicated to wheat grass and I'll cut some wheat grass off and throw it into a smoothie," said Ikard.
The best part according to Ikard is that you won't have to clean your fish tank again.
Read more here.


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Illness put an end to his legal career before it had even started, and Stevenson spent the next few years traveling in Europe and writing travel essays and literary criticism. In 1876, Stevenson fell in love with Fanny Vandergrift Osbourne, a married American woman more than ten years his senior, and returned with her to London, where he published his first fiction, "The Suicide Club." In 1879, Stevenson set sail for America, apparently in response to a telegram from Fanny, who had returned to California in an attempt to reconcile with her husband. Fanny obtained a divorce and the couple married in 1880, eventually returning to Europe, where they lived for the next several years. Stevenson was by this time beset by terrifying lung hemorrhages that would appear without warning and required months of convalescence in a healthy climate. Despite his periodic illnesses and his peripatetic life, Stevenson completed some of his most enduring works during this period: Treasure Island (1883), A Child's Garden of Verses (1885), Kidnapped (1886), and Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde (1886).
After his father's death and a trip to Edinburgh which he knew would be his last, Stevenson set sail once more for America in 1887 with his wife, mother, and stepson. In 1888, after spending a frigid winter in the Adirondack Mountains, Stevenson chartered a yacht and set sail from California bound for the South Pacific. The Stevensons spent time in Tahiti, Hawaii, Micronesia, and Australia, before settling in Samoa, where Stevenson bought a plantation called Vailima. Though he kept up a vigorous publishing schedule, Stevenson never returned to Europe. He died of a sudden brain hemorrhage on December 3, 1894.
Author biography from the Barnes & Noble Classics edition of The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde.
Long John Silver, the one-legged pirate cook in Stevenson's classic Treasure Island, is said to be based on the author's friend William Ernest Henley, whom he met when Henley was in Edinburgh for surgery to save his one good leg from tuberculosis.
Stevenson died in 1894 at Vailima,, his home on the South Pacific island of Upolu, Samoa. He was helping his wife make mayonnaise for dinner when he suffered a fatal stroke.
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