2010-02-25, 11:36 | Link #6261 |
廉頗
Join Date: Feb 2004
Location: Massachusetts
Age: 34
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Yeah, thinking about it I myself may have borrowed some elements from the Japanese playbook of verbal conflict. Americans get thrown off and become more accepting of what you have to say if you concede some points to them.
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2010-02-25, 12:52 | Link #6262 | |
Not Enough Sleep
Join Date: Nov 2003
Location: R'lyeh
Age: 48
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Deming try to reform the auto industry back in the 40s and 50s and was told to take a hike. He went to Japan as part of the American rebuilding effort and the Japanese listen to every word he said and then name a award after him. And the rest as they say is history.
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2010-02-25, 19:29 | Link #6265 |
✖ ǝʇ ɯıqnɾl ☆
Join Date: Feb 2006
Location: Mortuary : D
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Would rather prefer Governator than Palin run for office in 2012 . Regardless of my personal disposition he did run on a Republican ticket despite being married to a Kennedy . Thats quite commendable he could have easily used his wife's pull and name among Democrats .
EDIT : Aware of that technicality concerning Naturalization and Presidency ^^
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Last edited by Zu Ra; 2010-02-26 at 01:00. Reason: quotation |
2010-02-25, 20:58 | Link #6266 | |
Le fou, c'est moi
Join Date: Dec 2007
Location: Las Vegas, NV, USA
Age: 34
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Put quite a dent on my world domination plans, too. Damn close-minded Americans. |
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2010-02-25, 22:39 | Link #6267 | ||
NYAAAAHAAANNNNN~
Join Date: Nov 2007
Age: 35
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On the other note... China = Another Dubai Bubble? Chanos China Smackdown Watch, Part XXIV Quote:
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Last edited by SaintessHeart; 2010-02-25 at 22:57. |
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2010-02-26, 00:36 | Link #6268 |
Senior Member
Join Date: Jun 2008
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Google vs Italy
http://torrentfreak.com/can-google-s...-sites-100225/
If Google win this, I think it'll set a worldwide precedent, making torrent site much more 'safe'. Anyway, I *hope* that's what will happen. Just for the record, I don't believe myself to be a freeloader. If something is worth it, I'll part with the cash. But with so much stuff out there, it's nice to check out the goods before handing over any readies. |
2010-02-26, 00:48 | Link #6269 |
Senior Member
Join Date: Jun 2008
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Large Hedge Funds Shorting Euro
LOS ANGELES (MarketWatch) -- Large hedge funds are betting on a drop in the euro, expecting that the European currency will fall to parity with the U.S. dollar, according to a Wall Street Journal report late Thursday. The report cited unidentified people quoting comments from "all-star hedge-fund managers" representing the likes of SAC Capital Advisors LP and Soros Fund Management LLC at a recent New York gathering. Some of those managers said the euro, which traded at $1.51 in December but was at $1.36 Thursday amid concerns about Greek sovereign debt and other issues, could soon fall to $1.00. However, the report added that "few traders expect the value of the euro to totally collapse, the way the British pound did in 1992." |
2010-02-26, 05:29 | Link #6270 | ||
NYAAAAHAAANNNNN~
Join Date: Nov 2007
Age: 35
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Here is a good write-up about what would exactly happen. Well, it looks like Greece is in for the Battle Of Thermopylae : Economy Version... EU Tells Greece Austerity Plan Isn't Enough Quote:
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2010-02-26, 06:57 | Link #6271 |
Disabled By Request
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^ It looks like Greece and the EU may have a fall-out if this keeps going. With so much confusion between EU countries (which are not really united if I may say so), it's no wonder Europe is practically in shambles right now. I don't exactly expect the Euro to die like the GBP, but it will fall pretty low. Eventually, the big guys in charge will understand how bad an idea it was to adopt the Euro.
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2010-02-26, 09:41 | Link #6272 | |
Senior Member
Join Date: Mar 2003
Location: China
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There were also strikes in response to the Greek government's plans to cut back spending, so any conditions placed on any kind of bailout to cut costs could be a problem and may be a nonstarter. Would the EU then just either (1) give the money or (2) backstop Greece without setting any conditions? Greece's sovereign ratings are looking to be lowered as well, so raising funds through selling debt, if that happens, will be more expensive.
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2010-02-26, 10:36 | Link #6273 | ||
NYAAAAHAAANNNNN~
Join Date: Nov 2007
Age: 35
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Unless you want to adopt the RMB. Heck they don't even have proper security or protocols in printing their banknotes, that is why their valuation is crazy. Quote:
What the country needs is some form of production infrastructure. It can't rely on tourism to feed their country, neither can they rely on the Pope like Vatican. For a start, they can put some money into building microplants and manufacture stuff. For a start, they can make use of the lower cost of the Euro to get raw materials and convert them into something like steel plates or something. Invest in some form of local production capability first. Secondly, make use of incentives instead of material rewards to stave off civil worker strikes. These people serve their country out of their own will, so the most importantly keep them happy until the economy picks up. They will back the government when the time comes. Thirdly, a little socialism wouldn't hurt. Keep a reasonable percentage income tax instead of a fix amount, which means the richer will have to pay more, and the poor pay less. In turn, work with the private companies to reap income from overseas, give them incentives to invest locally rather than throwing their money outside (tax holidays, value/free-training for hiring locals/tax for hiring foreign workers). This gives the country a small financial boost, but not too small till negligible. P.S I would suggest they look to Japan and offer to manufacture figurines. Or work with a certain anime company to create some Greek history related anime - Grecian history is rather rich and good source for generating a pseudoculture - which in turn helps to generate interest for tourism.
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Last edited by SaintessHeart; 2010-02-26 at 10:48. |
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2010-02-26, 10:48 | Link #6274 | |
Disabled By Request
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In terms of competition against other larger financial powers, namely the US, it can be a good thing if those countries using the Euro were acting as one nation. The fact of the matter is that the Euro, and the European Union at that, were created was to imitate the US, but the truth is that this can never happen. Each country in Europe has its own history and culture, unlike in the US where the states have been part of a union for much of US history. They can't work well together as the US states do, and this recent crisis in Greece is proof enough. Despite the Euro's presence, each country still has its own individual economy. The theory you presented is correct, but as we can see, it didn't work like that in practice considering nothing much has changed for the EU member countries except for maybe Germany after the Euro was introduced after all. |
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2010-02-26, 11:00 | Link #6275 | |
NYAAAAHAAANNNNN~
Join Date: Nov 2007
Age: 35
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The reason I guess why the other countries want to adopt the Euro is because they want to feed on Germany's growth, and thus the reason why the Euro failed : they did not contribute enough to the Euro's strength. If a country is unable to back a currency by a gold system, it has to back it with something called productivity : basically a "my-dollar-is-worth-more-than-your-shit-paper-because-I-can-produce-more-and-better-stuff-than-you". A value is created if something is backed by something material. Then the material is backed by its quality, uniqueness of resource or both. The more stuff you add to it, be it the quality of the resource or workmanship, changes its value. On a smaller note, that is how branding came about, until it was desensitised by the political style of marketing : comparing it to other brands and stating the useless points of what other brands cannot do and what yours can. It is kind of interesting that almost 90% of the people in this world bought that trick.
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2010-02-26, 11:11 | Link #6276 | |
Disabled By Request
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2010-02-26, 11:16 | Link #6277 | |
NYAAAAHAAANNNNN~
Join Date: Nov 2007
Age: 35
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Regarding productivity, Greece has some undeveloped production capability, as stated in my previous-previous post. They should use the next devaluation of the Euro as their advantage. Too bad for Germany though.
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2010-02-26, 11:24 | Link #6278 | |
Disabled By Request
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2010-02-26, 11:31 | Link #6279 | |
NYAAAAHAAANNNNN~
Join Date: Nov 2007
Age: 35
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The rule of the thumb of a small country's economy is to invest in multiple avenues to generate income, and not just throw money in a handful of industries. Greece is doing the latter and has become overly reliant on it. Besides, they are giving their civil servants too much material benefits. That would be an incredibly difficult problem to fix because humans are by nature greedy. And humans are the pillar of every country : they are called citizens.
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2010-02-26, 11:37 | Link #6280 | |
Disabled By Request
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It's no different in Italy and, for example, France (Narona can correct me on this if I'm wrong). The problem with them is that when you get a job, you get a job for life and receive too many benefits, which is what's causing a lot of problems for businesses, both big and small. This is especially true in the public sector, and people can even find a job if they don't have experience or qualifications. All you need are friends with high positions. |
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