Jump to content

Recommended Posts

SMG, I'm not denying that people have an uncanny knack of finding interesting solutions to problems.


And I think most if not all of those who know me, know that I have one of the sunniest dispositions known to man :)


But I'd venture to suggest that globalisation, added to global problems, have perhaps contributed significantly to something of a perfect storm, and that off-the-cuff talk of the inevitability of recovery - mentioned on this thread - sometime next-week-soon is really a little silly. Just because we rely on something happening doesn't mean it will; that's how children think.


Meantime, I'm doing things like installing big-time insulation (energy prices will only go up, yeah?) and doing other stuff that may be helpful or useful (as well as being fun, in many cases). Because I do think that BAU is over, for a while at least.

SMG, I'm not denying that people have an uncanny knack of finding interesting solutions to problems.


And I think most if not all of those who know me, know that I have one of the sunniest dispositions known to man :)


But I'd venture to suggest that off-the-cuff talk of the inevitability of recovery - mentioned on this thread - sometime next-week-soon is really a little silly. Just because we rely on something happening doesn't mean it will; that's how children think.


Meantime, I'm doing things like installing big-time insulation (energy prices will only go up, yeah?) and doing other stuff that may be helpful or useful (as well as being fun, in many cases). Because I do think that BAU is over, for a while at least.

HAL9000 Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> SMG - Historically, every civilisation prior to

> ours has collapsed - often leaving barely a record

> of its demise: only the centuries of 'Dark Ages'

> that followed in their wake.


Tainter is worth reading on this issue.


>

> I agree with louisiana - the future for the

> so-called western economic system looks dire. The

> idea that it is somehow different this time sounds

> like wishful thinking, in my view.


Yes, special pleading, "this is different", "we are special" seems the incorrect approach, given the history.

"Just because we rely on something happening doesn't mean it will; that's how children think"


That's a bit harsh as a sweeping statement L. To be fair that's how 100% of us function day to day or we wouldnt step straight into our showers, get on a plane, make a phone call on an iPhone, actually scratch that last one.


But agreed critical thinking never hurt anyone.

A few years ago I had an interest in a company that imported scientific instruments from India to Europe and the US - from optical laboratory microscopes to large-scale, computer-controlled biochemical and pharmaceutical manufacturing plants.


The idea that Asian countries are manufacturing low cost, low complexity, commodity crap is completely misinformed. Time after time we obtained complementary quotes from local manufacturers - they simply could not compete on price and quality ? their only advantage was proximity for servicing and training.


In time, as more Asian entrepreneurs arbitrage the price disparities, even those advantages are likely to evaporate.

And I can't resist, but the problem with Tainter is that he's come up with a clever idea and tries to get the facts to fit them, while losing sight of the sheer weight and body of evidence provided by boring sciences like, err, history and archaeology rather than anthropological complexity theory.


As a codicil to your axiom above I would say just because we want something to be true, doesn't make it so. Sadly that's exactly how far too many people think, children or no.


Edited 1 time(s). Last edit was today, 03:28pm by mockney piers.

Good grief - what a dismal bunch. Frankly, I think that while some will be worse off in the short term, this is just a blip. All the infrastructure for a decent economy is still in place, people are still buying goods and services and the sun will still come up tomorrow.


The UK is still in decent nick. Everyone - and I mean everyone - is better off than people were 30 years ago. Poverty is so unknown in this country they've had to redefine the word so the usual people have got something to wring their hands over. There are literally billions of people in over 100 countries that would swap places with the poorest person in the UK tomorrow.


For comparison, I was reading this article on the Beeb today about poverty 100 years ago back in 1910. Their food consisted of:


Monday:


* Breakfast - Tea, bread and margarine

* Dinner - Tea, bread and margarine

* Supper - Tea, bread


Tuesday:


* Breakfast -Tea, bread and jam

* Dinner - Tea, 3 stale buns

* Supper - Tea, bread


Sunday:


* Breakfast - Tea, kippers, bread

* Dinner - three pennyworth of meat pieces boiled with potatoes

* Tea - bread and margarine, onions

HAL, "The idea that Asian countries are manufacturing low cost, low complexity, commodity crap is completely misinformed."


Sorry about this, I could have chosen my words more wisely than this cliche, what I was trying to do was talk about the products and services rolled out by a highly educated ingenious workforce, and those rolled out by grunt work.


Whilst there are sophisticated, educated elements in China, they're numbered at around 60m out of a population of 1.3bn. Identifying an exception to this will not disprove this argument - the uneducated majority is still the powerhouse of their economy, and a very precarious model it is.

It is Brenda, but the point is that as more of the population becomes educated they become more socially demanding. This means an end to sweatshop labour policies and China becomes less competitive on the world stage. Threat diminished.


As the article Piersy discussed, the Chinese govt. is already turning a blind eye to labour disputes that would historically have been ruthlessly discouraged. They're supporting a wage inflation that narrows the wealth gap, but also undermines exports.

Jeremy Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> I kind of get Huguenot's point, in that if there

> is a future in manufacturing in the UK, it is in

> niche/innovative/low-volume products... not vast

> quantities of low-cost consumer goods.


Tis true. Our wages demands don't support the manufacture of commodity items. We just cannot compete. We need to do the value-add, premium items.

The problem with that argument is that the BRICs already have high-tech manufacturing capabilities - in some areas their research and development facilities are equal to or more advanced than our own - or soon will be.


The western economies cannot be resurrected with low-volume, high-value components like satellites, for example, because they only employ relatively small groups of highly-skilled/qualified technicians and the demand is limited. And we still have to compete with our western peers.


What's left - luxury items like whiskey and wine are doing well right now but how long before Asian fakes flood those markets too?

Sorry Hal:


Another Award winner likely to cause a surprise was an Indian Single Malt, which was awarded the title of World?s Third Best Whisky. Distilled in Bangalore, Amrut Fusion scored an outstanding 97 points. "It makes no matter where in the world a whisky is made. If it is magnificent, then it stands a chance of being recognized in the Whisky Bible Awards. Amrut have been bottling astonishing whisky for a few years now. But this particular bottling just made my hairs stand on end. It is hard to find a whisky with better balance. India has unquestionably arrived as a whisky nation? added Murray.



PS - if manufacturing isn't the answer, can't we go back to providing our own food? [i don't like bananas that much.]

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
  • Latest Discussions

    • Thanks for your message — I actually took the time to look into what CityHive does before posting my original comment, and I’d encourage anyone with questions to do the same. Yes, the Companies House filings are overdue — but from what I’ve gathered, this seems likely to be an accountant or admin issue, not some sign of ill intent. A lot of small, community-based organisations face challenges keeping up with formalities, especially when they’re focused on immediate needs like food distribution. Let’s not forget CityHive is a not-for-profit, volunteer-powered CIC — not a corporate machine. As for the directors, people stepping down or being replaced is often about capacity or commitment — which is completely normal in the voluntary and community sector. New directors are sometimes appointed when others can no longer give the time. It doesn’t automatically mean bad governance — it just means people’s circumstances change. CityHive’s actual work speaks volumes. They buy most of the food they distribute — fresh produce, essential groceries, and shelf-stable items — and then deliver it to food banks, soup kitchens, and community projects across London. The food doesn’t stay with CityHive — it goes out to local food hubs, and from there, directly to people who need it most. And while yes, there may be a few paid staff handling logistics or admin, there’s a huge volunteer effort behind the scenes that often goes unseen. Regular people giving their time to drive vans, sort donations, load pallets, pack food parcels — that’s what keeps things running. And when people don’t volunteer? Those same tasks still need to be done — which means they have to be paid for. Otherwise, the whole thing grinds to a halt. As the need grows, organisations like CityHive will inevitably need more support — both in people and funding. But the bigger issue here isn’t one small CIC trying to make ends meet. The real issue is the society we live in — and a government that isn’t playing its part in eradicating poverty. If it were, organisations like CityHive, The Felix Project, City Harvest, FareShare, and the Trussell Trust wouldn’t need to exist, let alone be thriving. They thrive because the need is growing. That’s not a reflection on them — it’s a reflection on a broken system that allows people to go hungry in one of the richest cities in the world. If you're in doubt about what they’re doing, go check their Instagram: @cityhivemedia. You’ll see the real organisations and people receiving food, sharing thanks, and showing how far the impact reaches. Even Southwark Foodbank has received food from CityHive — that alone should speak volumes. So again — how does any of this harm you personally? Why spend time trying to discredit a group trying to support those who are falling through the cracks? We need more people lifting others up — not adding weight to those already carrying the load.
    • Well, this is very disappointing. Malabar Feast  has changed its menu again. The delicious fish curry with sea bass no longer exists. There is now a fish dish with raw mango, which doesn't appeal. I had dal and spinach instead, which was bland (which I suppose I could/should have predicted). One of my visitors had a "vegetable Biriani" which contained hardly any vegetables. Along with it came two extremely tiny pieces of poppadom in a large paper bag.   This was embarrassing, as I had been singing Malabar's praises and recommending we ordered from there. The other mains and the parathas were OK, but I doubt we will be ordering from there again. My granddaughters wisely opted for Yard Sale pizzas, which were fine. Has anybody else had a similar recent poor (or indeed good!)  experience at Malabar Feast?
    • Another recommendation for Silvano. I echo everything the above post states. I passed first time this week with 3 minors despite not starting to learn until my mid-30s. Given the costs for lessons I have heard, he's also excellent value.
    • Hi just got a player so looking for tapes  pm me thanks 
Home
Events
Sign In

Sign In



Or sign in with one of these services

Search
×
    Search In
×
×
  • Create New...