So, we previously talked about naked shorts ( See: Eat My Shorts), perhaps had a wild dream about unclothed bankers and decided that that was too disgusting (generally a high carb low protein diet and running to fat). Then we had a look at bug-eyed sheep in a casino; the dealers. If any dealer is insulted by that, I don't mean you, I mean the other guys next to you on the tv screens and in the papers every morning. For all you bug-eyed sheep out there, how did you manage to type a password in with your hooves? For any casino owners: Well done! You make the stock exchange seem honest! Is till don't want to play, but at least I know I have little or no chance of winning.
Okay, so the next stage, market aerobics. Pump it up baby. Go to any aerobics class in a major financial centre. Look around, but not too long, they will think you are a stalker. What do you see? Yes, bankers. All doing the same thing. Pedalling together. Aerobiing together (and One and Two and Three, now you know how they get to be so good at maths) or just hanging around having sprayed their faces with mineral water hoping to get noticed. (Hard session that one. Croissant anyone?).
No Risk, No Fun
Yes, all together. Now, they actually in most cases have a low protein high carb high fat diet and have no idea what they are doing. Why should they? Can you predict the future? Of course not silly, so why would you trust someone who believes that they can? Especially if they have a golden parachute. Have you noticed the high correlation between the people who say that, you know, THAT: NO Risk NO Fun, and the frequency of their parachutes, golden ones?
Poor boys and girls, financially secure, so no fun, you think. Wrong, ooh baby, so so wrong. No risk for them, plenty big risk for you. Yessiree, no risk for me plenty risk for you, lots and lots and lots of fun.
Next
So, what we really need now, in the light of the chaos that we have experienced, the rise in oil prices ( By the way, did anyone else notice that the Saudi' reduced production as soon as the price dropped? Supply down, demand up in comparison with supply....price up. Economix baby.) is a good dose of state intervention; of the right type.
Communism
Wrong type. Interesting though. Who thinks that Communism came about as a moving force in European politics because two German guys wrote a book or because Capitalism end s up with most of the money in the hands of a few, who then abuse their position of financial and political power? (For more details on abuse of power see: Abu Graib)
Correct Mrs Jones. Answer B.
Now who sees the difference between 19th century capitalism and the 21st century model?
Take your time. No? Me neither.
The Golden Rule
Communism failed and fails because it puts the assets of a country in the hands of a few. Abuse of power and massive inefficiency result. Capitalism does the same but pretends to be more efficient As discussed in Eat My Shorts, this ain't true. The only economic rule that is true and in all cases true and is, therefore, a law and not theory is: Them that has the gold makes the rules.
So, in a democracy like the USA, of course that rule, that law cannot be true and the Government can be changed(Bush Clinton Bush). In the UK that is also not the case ( Gordon I did not vote for you, actually more than 65 million people never got a chance to vote for you).
So that's okay. Democracy roolz. Now state intervention takes place a lot ( Police, Fire brigade, hospitals, rules for driving, who can die for their country, who must die for their country etc.) and it takes place in stock markets. Not long ago insider dealing was the not only not criminal but the norm.
So how about rules to prevent gambling on the markets and force people to invest in the true value of a company. Dream on.
Did He Really Say That?
The responsibility of large business owners is exemplified, perhaps in the words of Andrew Ferrier, the chief executive of Fonterra, a New Zealand company that owns 43% of Sanlu, a Chinese company that may have been selling milk products to chines mothers that contained melamine, causing, it is alleged, sickness and death. Fonterra seems to have known about the problem shortly before the Olympics. Cynics believe that the Chinese kept it under wraps so as not to look bad. There was no public recall, but an “unpublicised” one. Fonterra could have said something: New Zealnd is not yet part of China, and anyone who has seen the All Blacks play would be ready to believe that they fear nothing. Ferrera said nothing. Why? Well according to Andrew, “ If you don't follow the rules of an individual market place then I think that you are getting irresponsible”.
Basic Economix
So, in a nutshell, don't expect the government to protect you. If you fly in a plane they will set rules about safety but in the markets you are on your own. If you step into the market it is the wild west. Don't believe anyone who tells you differently. If you put your money in be ready to lose it all. Capitalism by its nature puts most of the money in the hands of a very few (do the stats if you don't believe me) and if that was not enough: Them that has the gold makes the rules.
And the whole place is full of low protein, high carb bug-eyed sheep awaiting the next panic.
