I am amazed at the fact that I am in Florida and can communicate with anyone worldwide.
Here in Florida conversation and the news is dominated by the weather. The prevailing temperature is about fifty degrees F and it is like deep winter for the citizens. Thick sweaters, central heating and general melancholy. Adding the gleeful news in the media is all part of living. There are deep snows in other parts of the US and this helps to cheer us up. When I point out that it is not really cold I am told that the temperature is usually eighty degres F and occasionally ninety.
This says to me that your experience of the universe depends on where you happen to be. Your experience is extended by modern technology which allows you to "SEE" and "HEAR" of events beyond your sight and hearing.
Do remind yourself that your view of the universe is moderated by the filter of technology and the voices of the reporters.
One lives in a small world. How big is your world?
Walter Vego
Thursday, 9 December 2010
Wednesday, 1 December 2010
Euro and the Irish Economy
The financial problems of some Euro zone countries are causing enormous pressures on the common currency itself. Germany and France, who instigated the birth of these idealistic notions, did not think that unless all the joining members have similar convergence, and sound industrial and economic footings and bases, the burden of those aspiring countries to join the rich club would be futile. Now the problems have come home to roost.
Greece who started the problem by borrowing 14% of the GDP had to be bailed out by financial injections of billions of Euros, Dollars and Sterling by EEC and IMF. The economic woes of Ireland are worse as the Irish economic growth was fuelled by bankers' greed, constructions of millions of real estate properties and careless lending to NINJAS (No Income, No Jobs and Assets) and who failed to repay their loans. The Irish were borrowing nearly 15% of the GDP to keep the economy going and when the Irish Bond market borrowings dried up they had no option but to come for help. To protect the Euro, Germans, French, Britain and other EEC members have come up with the money with stringent conditions ie to cut in wages, benefits as well as the rise of income tax, VAT, but kept the Corporation tax at 12.50% to attract foreign and domestic investments. The riots and social unrest took place and they have no alternatives, they have to live within their means and with the debt reductions programme. By excessive imports from Germany (who has 200 billion euro surplus)France, Holland ,China, India, Thailand, Indonesia and other s have led to destruction of Irish Industrial base. How would they repay? What they would sell to earn and build capital to future growth and maintain the domestic employment, infrastructure, pay for front line services and social care and pensions? Successive Government with Dogma driven principles, rather than the economic realities and minimum wages, paying youth unemployment benefits, where there are jobs to be filled (Most of the Rumanians, Bulgarians and people from Poland are filling the vacancies) UK is also in a similar situations, but thanks to the size of the UK economy, it will ride out the storm. Gordon Brown and Alistair Darling believed in Macro economics and believed in spending your way out of recession, but it is wrong notion, and it worked after the World War II whose constructions and rations and borrowing led to the post war boom. But you cannot replicate the situation in modern times.
I sincerely hope that Irish economy can again be strong and dynamic. The Irish Government must carry popular support, as did the Canadians who accepted the austerity measures and came out as a strong economy once again. They have learnt a lesson that reckless profligate spending led to the economic ills. Hope the Irish and British and other well meaning but dogma driven politicians stop giving tax credits to middle classes and other benefits to youngsters. When the Irish economy recovers everyone will benefit with a lasting legacy of prosperity, pride and panacea.
Greece who started the problem by borrowing 14% of the GDP had to be bailed out by financial injections of billions of Euros, Dollars and Sterling by EEC and IMF. The economic woes of Ireland are worse as the Irish economic growth was fuelled by bankers' greed, constructions of millions of real estate properties and careless lending to NINJAS (No Income, No Jobs and Assets) and who failed to repay their loans. The Irish were borrowing nearly 15% of the GDP to keep the economy going and when the Irish Bond market borrowings dried up they had no option but to come for help. To protect the Euro, Germans, French, Britain and other EEC members have come up with the money with stringent conditions ie to cut in wages, benefits as well as the rise of income tax, VAT, but kept the Corporation tax at 12.50% to attract foreign and domestic investments. The riots and social unrest took place and they have no alternatives, they have to live within their means and with the debt reductions programme. By excessive imports from Germany (who has 200 billion euro surplus)France, Holland ,China, India, Thailand, Indonesia and other s have led to destruction of Irish Industrial base. How would they repay? What they would sell to earn and build capital to future growth and maintain the domestic employment, infrastructure, pay for front line services and social care and pensions? Successive Government with Dogma driven principles, rather than the economic realities and minimum wages, paying youth unemployment benefits, where there are jobs to be filled (Most of the Rumanians, Bulgarians and people from Poland are filling the vacancies) UK is also in a similar situations, but thanks to the size of the UK economy, it will ride out the storm. Gordon Brown and Alistair Darling believed in Macro economics and believed in spending your way out of recession, but it is wrong notion, and it worked after the World War II whose constructions and rations and borrowing led to the post war boom. But you cannot replicate the situation in modern times.
I sincerely hope that Irish economy can again be strong and dynamic. The Irish Government must carry popular support, as did the Canadians who accepted the austerity measures and came out as a strong economy once again. They have learnt a lesson that reckless profligate spending led to the economic ills. Hope the Irish and British and other well meaning but dogma driven politicians stop giving tax credits to middle classes and other benefits to youngsters. When the Irish economy recovers everyone will benefit with a lasting legacy of prosperity, pride and panacea.
Wednesday, 10 November 2010
The changing times
Have you noticed that Guy Fawkes is no longer with us? He has been replaced by "Bonfire night". Small boys collecting a penny for the guy have also disappeared. Halloween plus tricking and treating seems to have arrived from the US. Have we exported Guy Fawkes?
Are the peoples of these islands forgetting their history? Do we want to forget that someone wanted to burn down the Houses of Parliament? Is history no longer relevant?
Some time ago the Guardian promoted "Flunk-dwiling" or is it "Dwile-flunking". What will replace Morris dancing? Is binge drinking the future of recreation?
Walter Vego
Are the peoples of these islands forgetting their history? Do we want to forget that someone wanted to burn down the Houses of Parliament? Is history no longer relevant?
Some time ago the Guardian promoted "Flunk-dwiling" or is it "Dwile-flunking". What will replace Morris dancing? Is binge drinking the future of recreation?
Walter Vego
Rabelais on marrow
Did you ever see a dog discover a marrow bone? If ever you did, you will have noticed how devotedly he eyes it, how carefully he guards it, how fervently he holds it, how circumspectly he begins to gnaw it, how lovingly he breaks it, and how digently he licks it, What induces him to do all this? What hope is there in his labour? What benefit does he expect? Nothing more than a little marrow. It is true that this little is more delicious than great quantities of any other meat.
Rabelais...translation 1955.
Rabelais...translation 1955.
Wednesday, 3 November 2010
Funny to read
The train standing on platform six should be on the rails.
Announcement on the underground:
The next station is oval
Sign on building site
Danger : Men at work
Walter Vego
Announcement on the underground:
The next station is oval
Sign on building site
Danger : Men at work
Walter Vego
Wednesday, 27 October 2010
A sad true story
To lose a child at any age by dying is terrible, but to have one disappear completely from one's life is unbearable I imagine, such as little Maddy in Portugal a few years ago now.
Many years ago now my niece Teresa was working in Athens as a secretary to a large company and thoroughly enjoying herself. She was twenty-three , had just broken off her engagment and liked being "fancy-free".
She had a very nice boss and used to travel with him and other members of the company to various places in different countries.
She was about to take a holiday and decided to fly home to UK and stay with her father who was widowed and her two brothers and little sister. But first she had one important trip to make with her boss
The executive jet took off but contact was lost fairly soon. The plane and all onboard were never seen again.
It hit all the newspapers of course but with all the searching done, nothing was found. The only conclusions the goverment came up with was the plane was shot down, by whom was a mystery and still remains one to this day, many years later.
Many years ago now my niece Teresa was working in Athens as a secretary to a large company and thoroughly enjoying herself. She was twenty-three , had just broken off her engagment and liked being "fancy-free".
She had a very nice boss and used to travel with him and other members of the company to various places in different countries.
She was about to take a holiday and decided to fly home to UK and stay with her father who was widowed and her two brothers and little sister. But first she had one important trip to make with her boss
The executive jet took off but contact was lost fairly soon. The plane and all onboard were never seen again.
It hit all the newspapers of course but with all the searching done, nothing was found. The only conclusions the goverment came up with was the plane was shot down, by whom was a mystery and still remains one to this day, many years later.
Wednesday, 13 October 2010
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