Over the past fortnight I've been listening to this audiobook 'The Undercover Economist'. It's about an economist who tries to explain economics to the masses without getting into textbook terms (such terms put me off going to uni to study the thing - among other reasons). It is a fascinating book. Makes you think.
Some of the stories he relays are quite extraordinary (like the selling of celluar 3G rights (I forget the exact term). The American government got hosed!!! Not as bad as the New Zealand government though - the dude in charge of that farce got shitcanned. But Gordon Brown, and the economists he hired, did us Brits proud... and that's all the jingoism you'll read here until Scotland resumes their Euro 2008 campaign... and I've gone off in another tangent).
The one story that really got my brain crunked (thanks Brocklee) was the one about sweatshops. He says the best way to help the sweatshop workers was to buy the product. He backed this up with a logical argument (essentially doing so will encourage competition and thus unlock all the benefits). This made sense... for a day or so.
What the prick author did not mention in his argument is the supply of cheap labour will forever be greater than the demand for cheap shitty products. Hence it really makes negligible difference to support the sweatshops because if the workers kick up a fuss the companies can up sticks and be welcomed with open arms in another third world province. Now the only way this can be prevented is if all third-world workers unite together and demand ethical treatment but the chance of that happening are less than the odds of Merchant of Venice hitting Youtube in it's current choppy form because these people are so poor that they'll take what they can get instead of fighting for what they deserve.
Which sucks but that's economics and economics isn't being reformed until our demand for goods hits zero like in Star Trek with the replicators (I'd order Pot Noodle right now).
God, it's scary how close I came to thinking like the prick author. Scary.
Kinda depressed now.
Arseflesh.
That's enough tub-thumping. There's a place for tub-thumping and here really isn't it. Outside old man Maddison's joint on a work night. Piss him right off it would. But I'd get a verbal warming and a clip round the ear so that's out.
Shark Attack 3 is the funniest non-Seagal film. I've seen in years. I've never seen anything quite like it. Seek it out but for feck's sake do not, under any circumstances, spend your own money on it. Spend someone elses. You'll be glad they did.
I saw two Van-Damme DTV movies this week (In Hell and Until Death) and I tell you I would recommend them over almost any summer blockbuster I've seen (expect Transformers, naturally). He doesn't kickbox. He acts. He fricking acts!! That's the difference between him and Seagal. Both in the same rut but at least Van Damme is busting his hump to get out of it. Seagal seems to have settled (mainly because he hates his employers but he should at least be professional-ish. Or kick more people in the nuts. he does that so well.)
Well I was hoping to leave some Shakespeare below but instead I'm sticking the vid of a party where the song I've been listening to all night was played. I swear I've gone from loving to hating to loving to hating to (ad infinitum -1) to loving the bastard to death. So....
Take it away Killing in the Name Of remixed by sebastIan (god that looks so unimpressive):
Bless Radio 1 - it has renewed its purpose in my life.
Some of the stories he relays are quite extraordinary (like the selling of celluar 3G rights (I forget the exact term). The American government got hosed!!! Not as bad as the New Zealand government though - the dude in charge of that farce got shitcanned. But Gordon Brown, and the economists he hired, did us Brits proud... and that's all the jingoism you'll read here until Scotland resumes their Euro 2008 campaign... and I've gone off in another tangent).
The one story that really got my brain crunked (thanks Brocklee) was the one about sweatshops. He says the best way to help the sweatshop workers was to buy the product. He backed this up with a logical argument (essentially doing so will encourage competition and thus unlock all the benefits). This made sense... for a day or so.
What the prick author did not mention in his argument is the supply of cheap labour will forever be greater than the demand for cheap shitty products. Hence it really makes negligible difference to support the sweatshops because if the workers kick up a fuss the companies can up sticks and be welcomed with open arms in another third world province. Now the only way this can be prevented is if all third-world workers unite together and demand ethical treatment but the chance of that happening are less than the odds of Merchant of Venice hitting Youtube in it's current choppy form because these people are so poor that they'll take what they can get instead of fighting for what they deserve.
Which sucks but that's economics and economics isn't being reformed until our demand for goods hits zero like in Star Trek with the replicators (I'd order Pot Noodle right now).
God, it's scary how close I came to thinking like the prick author. Scary.
Kinda depressed now.
Arseflesh.
That's enough tub-thumping. There's a place for tub-thumping and here really isn't it. Outside old man Maddison's joint on a work night. Piss him right off it would. But I'd get a verbal warming and a clip round the ear so that's out.
Shark Attack 3 is the funniest non-Seagal film. I've seen in years. I've never seen anything quite like it. Seek it out but for feck's sake do not, under any circumstances, spend your own money on it. Spend someone elses. You'll be glad they did.
I saw two Van-Damme DTV movies this week (In Hell and Until Death) and I tell you I would recommend them over almost any summer blockbuster I've seen (expect Transformers, naturally). He doesn't kickbox. He acts. He fricking acts!! That's the difference between him and Seagal. Both in the same rut but at least Van Damme is busting his hump to get out of it. Seagal seems to have settled (mainly because he hates his employers but he should at least be professional-ish. Or kick more people in the nuts. he does that so well.)
Well I was hoping to leave some Shakespeare below but instead I'm sticking the vid of a party where the song I've been listening to all night was played. I swear I've gone from loving to hating to loving to hating to (ad infinitum -1) to loving the bastard to death. So....
Take it away Killing in the Name Of remixed by sebastIan (god that looks so unimpressive):
Bless Radio 1 - it has renewed its purpose in my life.
VIEW 5 of 5 COMMENTS
brocklee:
HAHAHA.....WE GETS SOO CRUNKED FAM.....WOTS GOOD BRUV??
poopy:
