tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-876862148358784705.post7225031443985227136..comments2024-03-11T19:40:23.089+00:00Comments on Views from the bike shed: Straws in the windThe bike shedhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05195882998271591934noreply@blogger.comBlogger14125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-876862148358784705.post-29632947004980415812012-02-12T19:38:44.783+00:002012-02-12T19:38:44.783+00:00I have been thinking about all this too, it feels ...I have been thinking about all this too, it feels like for years! I am riveted by the coverage of the debt crisis and feel both competent to understand it and occasionally entirely at sea. I too was a rice and soup person. I would love to see us all having less and expecting less in the way of material things.Elizabeth Musgravehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09473705107636868753noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-876862148358784705.post-15284413043823159942012-02-04T18:58:53.956+00:002012-02-04T18:58:53.956+00:00What a thoughtful piece this is. Such a change to ...What a thoughtful piece this is. Such a change to read posts that raise questions without forcing answers down our throats.Alan Burnetthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01015127443616786425noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-876862148358784705.post-42046566951511014082012-02-03T21:03:07.778+00:002012-02-03T21:03:07.778+00:00In America and my state, Ohio, most of our neighbo...In America and my state, Ohio, most of our neighbors are old, like us, and are surely out of debt. Unlike some of them, we bought our house in 1962 and the whole thing was less than $15,000.00 US Dollars. <br /><br />Times are hard now and many people lost homes or are "under water" indicating they purchased their homes when the prices were way up in value though the original cost remained the same. Many lost their jobs and their homes and are on public welfare. <br /><br />Fortunately, for us, we are not in debt. What we have is what we got and we didn't change out the bathroom for something in style in 2010, 11, or 12. It is all in the same state as the day we moved in. Everything works. The furnace and air conditioning system has been replaced three times and we have had three new roofs—the last one was paid for by our insurance company because it was ruined by hail falling from the sky—the hail stones about the size of tennis balls or larger.<br /><br />None of this contributes to our status among rich or poor nations, but there is no doubt, in my mind, that I could never afford to pay my portion of our looming national debt, should China make a recall.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-876862148358784705.post-74163386221823846532012-02-03T10:46:08.727+00:002012-02-03T10:46:08.727+00:00I can't get my head around how we as the sixth...I can't get my head around how we as the sixth richest nation yet are so heavily in debt. It strikes me as third world rather than first world. But then I've always paid my way in the world.<br /><br />Fingers crossed this is third time lucky!VPhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02732971362066784175noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-876862148358784705.post-71262767339083511282012-02-02T09:47:44.676+00:002012-02-02T09:47:44.676+00:00Good one Mark. And on top of that The Urchins wil...Good one Mark. And on top of that The Urchins will be at home for decades, the average age of the first-time buyer now being around 43, two decades older than when I first took my cap in my hand to the local building society, but then I was not encumbered by student debt, just young and foolish....Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-876862148358784705.post-72930902841908444702012-02-01T23:35:13.786+00:002012-02-01T23:35:13.786+00:00such a lovely thought provoking post Mark.
it'...such a lovely thought provoking post Mark.<br />it's late and i'm on my way to bed. so all i can think of to say it, rather lamely, my daughter's middle name is Bluebell. <br />i find your writing very impressive. i hope you are taking it further. <br />xxxThe Mulehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06786143388807016249noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-876862148358784705.post-30208587941026054482012-01-30T22:47:05.382+00:002012-01-30T22:47:05.382+00:00We were soup and rice people when younger too, Mar...We were soup and rice people when younger too, Mark, not wanting to be beholden. I can still remember the first time my parents bought anything on hire-purchase - a spin-dryer to replace the old mangle my mother had always used and they had a lot of discussion before doing so. Nowadays youngsters are bombarded with the offer of credit and store cards at the tender age of 18 and we wonder they end up over their heads in debt. As for buy now and start paying in a year...that way madness lies!Perpetuahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01214396019726161983noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-876862148358784705.post-42352841980725142442012-01-30T11:02:29.802+00:002012-01-30T11:02:29.802+00:00There are some big questions there which definitel...There are some big questions there which definitely provide food for thought! The spirit level by Richard Wilkinson and Kate Pickett is an interesting read and it covers some of the issues raise here in this post. For me, I would like to see a more just and equal society. I think anyone who wants to be a politician should automatically be stopped from becoming one...might lead to a new breed of government (I live in hope!).<br /><br />C xCarolhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12327016337976942530noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-876862148358784705.post-28465735298665809642012-01-30T08:11:01.329+00:002012-01-30T08:11:01.329+00:00We are small in the face of the big machine. But t...We are small in the face of the big machine. But that doesn't mean we can do nothing. Just that we can do small things. And small things are always better than nothing.Stevehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02133900289384226725noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-876862148358784705.post-42880803243034422972012-01-29T21:22:24.383+00:002012-01-29T21:22:24.383+00:00I sometimes wonder if we need government by benevo...I sometimes wonder if we need government by benevolent capitalist dictatorship. At least it could take the long view.<br /><br />I wonder what the Chinese model will show us, not that I would describe it as benevolent.Mark In Mayennehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14987723233401368368noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-876862148358784705.post-54864108709426013062012-01-29T21:22:16.241+00:002012-01-29T21:22:16.241+00:00I've seen the world turned upside down.
Young,...I've seen the world turned upside down.<br />Young, debt was something of which to be ashamed. Bankruptcy was the unthinkable. Credit was not to be thought of except in terms of a building society loan.<br />Companies still had significant individual shareholdings.<br />The banks had not taken charge of the Stock Exchange.<br />Society still existed.<br /><br />Post Thatcher, with the encouragement of Blair, corporate immorality has been allowed to play on the baser desires of individuals to enrich corporate leaders - allowed by the governments which should be controlling their activites.<br /><br />The individual is subject to more and more control, while financial institutions play wiley beguiled with public money to make private profit.the fly in the webhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04563871975125538755noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-876862148358784705.post-1857322752315512502012-01-29T20:56:28.463+00:002012-01-29T20:56:28.463+00:00Hi Mark:
A very thought provoking post. We need to...Hi Mark:<br />A very thought provoking post. We need to be concerned but it doesn't do to be TOO concerned. Everybody should be more fiscally responsible, me included. Okay probably me more than most. I will try harder. ;-)Clippy Mathttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15922234265229327474noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-876862148358784705.post-68189844941924311352012-01-29T19:22:41.520+00:002012-01-29T19:22:41.520+00:00there is something that really concerns me about t...there is something that really concerns me about the financial crisis is the way the media screams about the problems.......perhaps it is a time to be a little quiet about the whole sorry messJohn Going Gentlyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14958171262765033946noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-876862148358784705.post-17066818702268028302012-01-29T18:30:37.224+00:002012-01-29T18:30:37.224+00:00Hello!
Great post, Mark. Very thought provoking, ...Hello!<br /><br />Great post, Mark. Very thought provoking, and I definitely know what you and Mr Popper mean about democracy being the least worst of all the alteratives. Short-termism, that's all we get. <br /><br />Thinking about it...nature doesn't plan either does it? It is only about the here and now (in many ways). Is western democracy and capitalism therefore somehow 'natural' too? It is certainly brutal, and sometimes unforgiving, just like nature. Interesting Post.<br /><br />Hope you are well mate, speak soon,<br /><br />BenDoofushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15368086816490113661noreply@blogger.com