European Tribune - Community, Politics & Progress.

What's your aim?

by Colman
Tue Sep 11th, 2007 at 03:14:40 AM EST

Well, I’m back from my last holiday of the year, settling in for the rest of the year, trying to regain a bit of focus on ET and asking myself what am I trying to achieve here? ET is one of the ways I try to influence the path the world takes by influencing opinions and helping to educate and be educated about what’s happening and likely to happen in the future.

If I’m going to try and influence events I need some idea what I’m aiming for, so here’s my current list:

Crash greenhouse gas emissions over the next fifty years. It appears that we need a global reduction in levels in order to prevent the worst climate change outcomes and we need to do it quickly.
Start the migration to a just, fair and sustainable global society. A society ruled by laws, fairly enforced, in which the costs and benefits of decisions are borne fairly and in which we use whichever technology are most appropriate - state action, regulated markets, super-national organisations or whatever to best address the interests of everyone on the globe and maintain as much bio-diversity as is possible.

That’s my political aim in life. I don’t believe that hairless apes are built for utopias.

What’s your aim?

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What's your aim? | 89 comments (89 topical, 0 editorial, 0 hidden)

Re: What's your aim? (none / 1)

Much the same, actually.

by nanne (zwaerdenmaecker@gmail.com) on Tue Sep 11th, 2007 at 04:39:55 AM EST

Re: What's your aim? (4.00 / 3)

Adding that we need a transparant and democratic global society in which information flows freely. That is, minimum goverment secrecy and much less stifling intellectual property legislation.

This can be modelled as an institutional dimension of the concept of sustainability, which can function as an overarching, integrative conception of the society we need to move towards.

by nanne (zwaerdenmaecker@gmail.com) on Tue Sep 11th, 2007 at 04:55:43 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: What's your aim? (none / 1)

Well, I think that's a means, not an end.

by Colman (colman at eurotrib.com) on Tue Sep 11th, 2007 at 05:33:23 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: What's your aim? (none / 1)

I guess democracy and transparancy might be subsumed either under 'sustainable' or 'just and fair'. They are part of their operationalisation, that is, the list of principles that have to be lived up to in order for a society to be sustainable, and just and fair. I would not call them 'means', though, because they are necessary, not optional.

by nanne (zwaerdenmaecker@gmail.com) on Tue Sep 11th, 2007 at 05:54:56 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: What's your aim? (4.00 / 2)

Are they? What if someone cooks up a political technology better than democracy?

by Colman (colman at eurotrib.com) on Tue Sep 11th, 2007 at 07:10:43 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: What's your aim? (none / 1)

At the bottom line democracy is about giving people both a way to make collective decisions and an equal measure of control over these. This is not replaceable, IMO. People will always need to make collective decisions (the universe being complicated) and will always want to have an equal say (people being people and other solutions not being just and fair).

by nanne (zwaerdenmaecker@gmail.com) on Tue Sep 11th, 2007 at 08:14:21 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: What's your aim? (none / 1)

In practice, (large-scale) democracy is no such thing.

by Colman (colman at eurotrib.com) on Tue Sep 11th, 2007 at 11:04:50 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: What's your aim? (none / 1)

That's an overstatement. But they are very imperfect, as fully equal collective decisions are only made once every so many years, and otherwise equality and collectivity are fictional, mediated through representatives (who are influenced by moneyed interests, etc., etc.). This is why our democracies need to become more democratic.

by nanne (zwaerdenmaecker@gmail.com) on Tue Sep 11th, 2007 at 11:20:42 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: What's your aim? (4.00 / 3)

I'd ask "Who is it better for"? "how does it stop mr x cornering the world market of butterbeans?" what makes it better than democracy?who does this system advantage? and who does it disadvantage? What are the necessities for it to work properly, and how easy is it to break? Finally why should we trust you with this new system?

If they answer to all of those questions in ways that I can see as being positive, then sign me up. however, if they can't then it's still a case of democracy being the least bad option.

Life should consist in at least fifty percent pure waste of time, and the rest doing what you please.

by ceebs (bunchofwankers (at) gmail (dot) com) on Tue Sep 11th, 2007 at 11:00:12 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: What's your aim? (4.00 / 2)

Absolutely: but it's still a technology to be used than a prerequisite for a wonderful world.

by Colman (colman at eurotrib.com) on Tue Sep 11th, 2007 at 11:03:32 AM EST
[ Parent ]

These 2 (4.00 / 6)

are actually a pretty damn good distillation of what we should aim for.

You've been missed. We know the apparent grumpiness hides a sharp mind ;-)

In the long run, we're all dead. John Maynard Keynes

by Jerome a Paris (jeromeguillet@yahoo.fr) on Tue Sep 11th, 2007 at 04:48:34 AM EST

What you said (4.00 / 4)

It's kind of hard to add to those two. They form a nice, stable foundation for a bigger, more organized house.

Personally, I'd like a house with less nuclear weapons. I mean, how many times over do we have to destroy the world, anyway?

From the FAS:

U.S. Nuclear Stockpile Today and Tomorrow

by Plutonium Page (page dot vlinders at gmail dot com) on Tue Sep 11th, 2007 at 04:56:22 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: What's your aim? (4.00 / 3)

Glad you're back.

As for your first goal, --it seems to me that 50 years puts us into the "rather too late" period--
But I'd sure take it, if the recent APEC crap is the alternative. "Voluntary Objectives" indeed..

As for your second,- You eshew utopias, coleman-- and then ---this? Still, how wonderful that would be.

Right now, I'd settle for- I dream about- subversive educationists. Lots of them. Then ---horror of horrors, subversive schools.

"We are talking about the school's cultivating in the young that most subversive intellectual instrument- the anthropological perspective. This perspective allows one to be part of his own culture, and, at the same time, to be out of it. One views the activities of his own group as would an anthropologist, observing it's tribal rituals, its fears, its conceits, its ethnocentrism. In this way one is able to recognize when reality drifts too far away from the grasp of the tribe."

--From "Teaching as a Subversive Activity", by Neil Postman and Charles Weingartner.

Imagine a generation of kids with a really good crap detector. Then your dreams follow naturally.

Useful talking follows experience, the more experience the better. Talking that precedes experience is known as bullshit.

by geezer in Paris (risico at wanadoo(flypoop)fr) on Tue Sep 11th, 2007 at 06:24:48 AM EST

Re: What's your aim? (none / 1)

Is 50 years too late to reduce anthropogenic greenhouse emissions to virtually zero? I sure hope not, because in that case we're truly screwed.

Oye, vatos, dees English sink todos mi ships, chinga sus madres, so escuche: el fleet es ahora refloated, OK? — The War Nerd

by Migeru (migeru at eurotrib dot com) on Tue Sep 11th, 2007 at 07:20:34 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: What's your aim? (none / 1)

net anthropogenic greenhouse emissions.

by Colman (colman at eurotrib.com) on Tue Sep 11th, 2007 at 07:29:52 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: What's your aim? (none / 1)

Yes.

Oye, vatos, dees English sink todos mi ships, chinga sus madres, so escuche: el fleet es ahora refloated, OK? — The War Nerd

by Migeru (migeru at eurotrib dot com) on Tue Sep 11th, 2007 at 07:32:36 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: What's your aim? (4.00 / 2)

Oops. Mig, you found a ---er, --handle.
Coleman, if you'd said reduce them "essentially to zero", I probably would not have left the handle sticking out.

No interest in my aim?

If you fail to (re)educate, the rest fails too.

Useful talking follows experience, the more experience the better. Talking that precedes experience is known as bullshit.

by geezer in Paris (risico at wanadoo(flypoop)fr) on Tue Sep 11th, 2007 at 07:49:34 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: What's your aim? (none / 1)

Well, it's an interesting handle. Given the estimates I've seen that Peak Earth happened in 1987 or thereabouts, it's a question I'd like to see addressed.

Oye, vatos, dees English sink todos mi ships, chinga sus madres, so escuche: el fleet es ahora refloated, OK? — The War Nerd

by Migeru (migeru at eurotrib dot com) on Tue Sep 11th, 2007 at 07:53:05 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: What's your aim? (none / 1)

I missed your definition of Peak Earth?

by Colman (colman at eurotrib.com) on Tue Sep 11th, 2007 at 07:55:59 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: What's your aim? (none / 1)

Human resource use exceeding the Earth's carrying capacity.

Oye, vatos, dees English sink todos mi ships, chinga sus madres, so escuche: el fleet es ahora refloated, OK? — The War Nerd

by Migeru (migeru at eurotrib dot com) on Tue Sep 11th, 2007 at 07:57:22 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: What's your aim? (4.00 / 2)

That's a diaries worth of careful definition unwrapping to do.

by Colman (colman at eurotrib.com) on Tue Sep 11th, 2007 at 07:59:17 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: What's your aim? (none / 1)

Prod me regularly until I write it.

BTW: any progress on the domain I asked you for?

Oye, vatos, dees English sink todos mi ships, chinga sus madres, so escuche: el fleet es ahora refloated, OK? — The War Nerd

by Migeru (migeru at eurotrib dot com) on Tue Sep 11th, 2007 at 08:11:07 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: What's your aim? (none / 1)

Ok.

Domain is is train.

by Colman (colman at eurotrib.com) on Tue Sep 11th, 2007 at 08:16:02 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: What's your aim? (none / 1)

We're going to have to go back years, if not decades, before Peak Earth to rebuild the natural resource base such as fish stocks, soil fertility, and aquifers - to name a very few.

Och nu den svenska kocken bakar en Alaskan älg jägare. Bonk! Bonk! Bonk!

by ATinNM on Tue Sep 11th, 2007 at 11:17:29 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: What's your aim? (none / 1)

Well, the farther back we go the fastest things will be replenished, but there's a limit to how fast things can recover anyway. So, after 20 years of peak Earth, how much has the carrying capacity degraded? Equivalent to 1960's levels of global consumption?

Oye, vatos, dees English sink todos mi ships, chinga sus madres, so escuche: el fleet es ahora refloated, OK? — The War Nerd

by Migeru (migeru at eurotrib dot com) on Wed Sep 12th, 2007 at 02:43:59 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: What's your aim? (none / 0)

Damfino.

Och nu den svenska kocken bakar en Alaskan älg jägare. Bonk! Bonk! Bonk!

by ATinNM on Thu Sep 13th, 2007 at 12:17:19 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: What's your aim? (none / 1)

Yup, education is an important tool but not just of kids.

by Colman (colman at eurotrib.com) on Tue Sep 11th, 2007 at 07:55:26 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: What's your aim? (none / 1)

Coleman:
That's what ET is all about, -is it not?
Adult education?
Gotta watch those damned handles.
Mig--
Best foundation book I ever read about your question (not mine) is Fritjof Capra's "The Web of Life". Never even mentions "Peak Earth"-- and is in fact very much about it. Fun, too.

Useful talking follows experience, the more experience the better. Talking that precedes experience is known as bullshit.

by geezer in Paris (risico at wanadoo(flypoop)fr) on Tue Sep 11th, 2007 at 09:49:39 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: What's your aim? (none / 1)

Gotta watch those damned handles.

Wha?

by Colman (colman at eurotrib.com) on Tue Sep 11th, 2007 at 09:50:19 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: What's your aim? (none / 1)

Pickable nits.

Oye, vatos, dees English sink todos mi ships, chinga sus madres, so escuche: el fleet es ahora refloated, OK? — The War Nerd

by Migeru (migeru at eurotrib dot com) on Tue Sep 11th, 2007 at 10:05:14 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: What's your aim? (none / 1)

saw fritz at esalen in early 90's in a weeklong workshop at esalen, with david steindl-rast, (a benedictine monk)....

fabulous double whammy, the scientific and the spiritual.

'the turning point' was just that.

Peace is not the absence of war -- peace is the absence of fear. Ursula Franklin

by melo (melometa4(at)gmail.com) on Tue Sep 11th, 2007 at 04:14:29 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: What's your aim? (none / 1)

Would like to have been there. What a great head stretcher that would have been!
I've read "The Dow of Physics", but not his "The Turning point". Will 'zon it today.
Brentanos is a good bookstore on Avenue de l'Opera, but they just moved all the good stuff into the basement, no ascenseur and the only clerk with a detectable pulse is off work today.

Where in Italy do you call home?

Useful talking follows experience, the more experience the better. Talking that precedes experience is known as bullshit.

by geezer in Paris (risico at wanadoo(flypoop)fr) on Wed Sep 12th, 2007 at 02:12:40 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: What's your aim? (none / 1)

Sorry, I don't do Fritjof Capra, Jack Sarfatti or Frank Tipler.

Call me close-minded.

Oye, vatos, dees English sink todos mi ships, chinga sus madres, so escuche: el fleet es ahora refloated, OK? — The War Nerd

by Migeru (migeru at eurotrib dot com) on Wed Sep 12th, 2007 at 02:29:11 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: What's your aim? (none / 1)

_Call me close-minded. _

but call me...

ba dum...

thanks for pointing me to two new authors, sounds interesting-

there's a wasp buzzing around...sounds tetchy, but i guess they're s'posed to be that way...

kinda early in the mourning, let's open the window...that's better!

Peace is not the absence of war -- peace is the absence of fear. Ursula Franklin

by melo (melometa4(at)gmail.com) on Wed Sep 12th, 2007 at 03:03:42 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: What's your aim? (4.00 / 2)

Sarfatti in particular believes that in his childhood he was phoned by an intelligent computer on a spacecraft from the future and they've been feeding him nuggets of wisdom his entire life. He also believes there are dozens more like him, and there were in the past. And he believes my Ph.D. advisor is one of them, but a renegade who has refused the wisdom.

Stay away from such authors. That way lies madness!

Oye, vatos, dees English sink todos mi ships, chinga sus madres, so escuche: el fleet es ahora refloated, OK? — The War Nerd

by Migeru (migeru at eurotrib dot com) on Wed Sep 12th, 2007 at 03:11:24 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: What's your aim? (none / 1)

whoa, i'm still enjoying tipler's ideas!

and the offshoots...

_That way lies madness! _

stop tempting me!

Peace is not the absence of war -- peace is the absence of fear. Ursula Franklin

by melo (melometa4(at)gmail.com) on Wed Sep 12th, 2007 at 03:40:59 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: What's your aim? (4.00 / 2)

Dude, I am not joking about Sarfatti.

That way lies madness!
stop tempting me!

That would be like trying to sell snow to the Inuit.

Oye, vatos, dees English sink todos mi ships, chinga sus madres, so escuche: el fleet es ahora refloated, OK? — The War Nerd

by Migeru (migeru at eurotrib dot com) on Wed Sep 12th, 2007 at 04:43:52 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: What's your aim? (none / 1)

lol...

you found the sweet spot there!

i would perhaps say it's like selling purple snow to the inuit.

intuition, innit?

Peace is not the absence of war -- peace is the absence of fear. Ursula Franklin

by melo (melometa4(at)gmail.com) on Wed Sep 12th, 2007 at 04:45:07 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: What's your aim? (none / 1)

wonderful quote...says it all, really...

great stuff

Peace is not the absence of war -- peace is the absence of fear. Ursula Franklin

by melo (melometa4(at)gmail.com) on Tue Sep 11th, 2007 at 05:59:23 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: What's your aim? (none / 1)

Hi Colman. This is your diary so I'll keep my aims out of it, at least for now. However, being of the engineering mentality, I always couple goals with "how-to". So, what is your general road map to achieve your goals? Hey, I'll help! How do I invest one hour of every day for the foreseeable future to further your goals? How do I modify the overall "theme" of my life to the same end?
Let's get it DONE!

McCain/Palin ... total sacks of SHIT!

by THE Twank (paszeski__aaaaaaatttttt__yahoo.com) on Tue Sep 11th, 2007 at 07:08:08 AM EST

Re: What's your aim? (none / 1)

I'd rather know what your aims are at this point. There's not much point running off and deciding how-to before you know what-to-do.

by Colman (colman at eurotrib.com) on Tue Sep 11th, 2007 at 07:09:54 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: What's your aim? (none / 1)

On the other hand, you and I in particular have taken to asking utopians "how do we get there from here"?

Oye, vatos, dees English sink todos mi ships, chinga sus madres, so escuche: el fleet es ahora refloated, OK? — The War Nerd

by Migeru (migeru at eurotrib dot com) on Tue Sep 11th, 2007 at 07:18:24 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: What's your aim? (4.00 / 2)

Oh, absolutely: I'll get to it.

by Colman (colman at eurotrib.com) on Tue Sep 11th, 2007 at 07:29:10 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: What's your aim? (none / 1)

Hi again Colman. As promised earlier, I came up with two AIMS, but I'm not sure about that qualifier "political". Plenty of things seem non-political at the outset and turn political afterwards. I'm going to go with a VERY liberal view of the term "political". One involves my tutoring profession
(a 2-4 year plan; NOT important to ET folks) and a second which MIGHT directly involve ET, so here's the second. Remember, the use of the term political is iffy.

This is a three parter, so, I want to:

Start my own religion from scratch, NOT a derivative of an already existing one.
Use a website to promote it (assuming "promote" is the correct verb).
Use ET as the website.

And, to answer some of the questions which might immediately pop up in the reader's mind:

No, this is NOT a joke. "Serious as a toothache" was the phrase in my day.
No, this is NOT some lousy $$$ making scam, BUT (big BUT) I'm a

crappy predictor of the future. If money exchange does get involved, quite honestly,
I'm horrible with finances because I think this whole human "I own this, keep your hands
off of it, I'm rich as hell, go some place and starve so I don't have to see your
misery, LOSER!" bullshit is not only silly, it's downright dangerous to your entire
species and, I might add, to species I REALLY care about, like hummingbirds. Cute
little buggers. I should write a diary sometime. Anyhooo, if $'s of any magnitude get
involved, I'm likely to attempt to enlist the aid of ET resident experts (Jerome for
one comes to mind, right off the rip) to help use the funds "wisely". It's not the
basic accounting with which I would have a problem ... I was a "plant controller" at
a northern Calif. tomato/fruit processor for five years and I was Mr. Lotus Spreadsheet.
My problem would be knowing where to direct the funds to do the most "good".

Humans and your fucking money/wealth/power nonsense. Some of you are rich as hell and yet allow
the destruction of your entire biosphere. If you insist on going extinct, would you
hurry up and do so and stop dragging other species down with you? Sheeesh!

So, once again, money-making is NOT a primary goal of these efforts. But, shit happens.

3. No, this is NOT a way to "get chicks", BUT, once again, if the ladies insist on
throwing themselves at me, hey, I'm old but I'm still semi-human. Shit happens.

Thus, my previous inquiry about who runs ET. I've nosed around the ET site and haven't
found many (any?) religiousy kinds of things. Apparently ET's Helen takes a dim view of
religions and religious people but, hey, that's life.

I foresee a variety of responses from the ET powers-that-be including:

1. "Hell NO!. Take your religious .... whatever ... and shove it up your ass! We don't
DO, we don't ALLOW that crap around here, no way, no how. SCRAM!"
OooooooooooooooK.

2. "Let's talk, let's hear more." Then you decide whether you want a public hearing
or a private email discussion. I don't care either way.

3. "Sure. Just fire away. We'd love a chance to ridicule your sorry ass out of town!"
And away I type, and post diaries.

There it is, powers-that-be. THE Twank's first multi-diary project. What think you?

You know how to contact me. Take your time. Think it over. I'm shutting down for
24 - 30 hours ... other stuff to get done. I'm outta here.

LET THE SHIT-STORM BEGIN!

McCain/Palin ... total sacks of SHIT!

by THE Twank (paszeski__aaaaaaatttttt__yahoo.com) on Wed Sep 12th, 2007 at 12:06:22 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Non-sequitur alert! (4.00 / 2)

Colman: What's your aim?
THE Twank: This is your diary so I'll keep my aims out of it, at least for now.

Oye, vatos, dees English sink todos mi ships, chinga sus madres, so escuche: el fleet es ahora refloated, OK? — The War Nerd

by Migeru (migeru at eurotrib dot com) on Tue Sep 11th, 2007 at 07:22:52 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Non-sequitur alert! (4.00 / 3)

OK, OK. Give me 24 hours to think about it, then I'll open my big yap.

McCain/Palin ... total sacks of SHIT!

by THE Twank (paszeski__aaaaaaatttttt__yahoo.com) on Tue Sep 11th, 2007 at 07:37:09 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: What's your aim? (4.00 / 4)

Just a few small things. Humanity turning away from a culture of consumption.

The religious agreeing that they do not have a monopoly on morality.

The next generation growing up into well rounded individuals who can smelll the bullshit.

The end of the murdoch empire.

Governments acknowledging that they are not immune to the rule of law, so handing over an entire parcel of politicians to the Hague.

Just the small things....

Life should consist in at least fifty percent pure waste of time, and the rest doing what you please.

by ceebs (bunchofwankers (at) gmail (dot) com) on Tue Sep 11th, 2007 at 07:37:40 AM EST

Re: What's your aim? (4.00 / 2)

Just a few small things. Humanity turning away from a culture of consumption.

I think you will get some iteration of this one--since there will be no alternative. I would aim for a more even distribution of the need to turn away. That's the tough one.

As for the religious becoming tolerant, Right. --I'd settle for just taking the guns and the levers of power out of their hands, and ignore them after.

Well rounded individuals? Yup. My life's work. I'd prefer "Well rounded humans", actually. "Individuals" has such a nasty flavor of institutionalized greed these days.
All in all, --nice aims, I think.

Useful talking follows experience, the more experience the better. Talking that precedes experience is known as bullshit.

by geezer in Paris (risico at wanadoo(flypoop)fr) on Tue Sep 11th, 2007 at 08:01:33 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: What's your aim? (none / 1)

Well he did say aims. Of course I'm going to have to settle for less, I just don't see why I should.

I agree with you on the humans/individuals bit, and think it should be everyones life work.

Life should consist in at least fifty percent pure waste of time, and the rest doing what you please.

by ceebs (bunchofwankers (at) gmail (dot) com) on Tue Sep 11th, 2007 at 08:08:21 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: What's your aim? (4.00 / 3)

My aim is to make it through the goddamn day. That, I'm afraid, is what you are up against.

by det on Tue Sep 11th, 2007 at 08:00:02 AM EST

Re: What's your aim? (none / 1)

Me too.

Oye, vatos, dees English sink todos mi ships, chinga sus madres, so escuche: el fleet es ahora refloated, OK? — The War Nerd

by Migeru (migeru at eurotrib dot com) on Tue Sep 11th, 2007 at 08:15:25 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: What's your aim? (none / 1)

A quote from Anita Roddick concerning her continued dealings with China, whilst still lambasting them on human rights: "My desire is to inspire people - meanwhile I have a bloody business to run"

You can't be me, I'm taken

by Sven Triloqvist on Tue Sep 11th, 2007 at 08:35:16 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: What's your aim? (none / 1)

Fridge, stove and vacuum cleaner for everyone.

Without ruining the world.

Peak oil is not an energy crisis. It is a liquid fuel crisis.

by Starvid (arvid.hallen at gmail.com) on Tue Sep 11th, 2007 at 09:08:14 AM EST

Why (none / 1)

the vacuum cleaner?

Fridge and stove I can understand.

by Nomad on Tue Sep 11th, 2007 at 09:37:53 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Why (none / 1)

He works for a domestic appliance company?

by Colman (colman at eurotrib.com) on Tue Sep 11th, 2007 at 09:38:54 AM EST
[ Parent ]

He owns a few shares of their stock (none / 1)

It's starvid we're talking about here.

Oye, vatos, dees English sink todos mi ships, chinga sus madres, so escuche: el fleet es ahora refloated, OK? — The War Nerd

by Migeru (migeru at eurotrib dot com) on Thu Sep 13th, 2007 at 08:23:20 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Why (4.00 / 3)

The vacuum cleaner is one of the most important inventions ever when it comes to quality of life, even though not on par with the stove or fridge. Or the washing machine (for clothes, not cutlery), I forgot that one.

I guess the reason these ordinary household appliances are so often forgotten is that they are so ordinary, and that household work is usually done by women, ie. soft issues to be ignored.

Tap water is another incredibly important thing which hundreds of millions or even billions of people lack.

Seriously, just make sure there is tap water, electricity, sewage removal, some jobs and most basic things work out. Too bad a lot of people lack these things.

Peak oil is not an energy crisis. It is a liquid fuel crisis.

by Starvid (arvid.hallen at gmail.com) on Tue Sep 11th, 2007 at 10:12:57 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Why (none / 1)

A vacuum cleaner is entirely replaceable given the right kind of floor covering service.

by nanne (zwaerdenmaecker@gmail.com) on Tue Sep 11th, 2007 at 10:42:46 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Why (4.00 / 2)

Ready access to drinkable water for everyone would be great. You could save a lot of lives. Of course, then we arrive upon the question hinted at elsewhere in the thread: how would you go about accomplishing that?

"The basis of optimism is sheer terror" - Oscar Wilde

by NordicStorm on Tue Sep 11th, 2007 at 11:02:56 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Thanks (none / 1)

but I still fail to see the usefulness of the vacuum cleaner - has it been shown to generate better health? Has it been shown to create a vast time improvement compared to sweeping utensils and mops?

Shelter, tap water and electricity form the trinity in South Africa for service delivery to upgrade the shanty towns. Sewage removal remains problematic and is of an increasing concern - especially in regard of drinkable water.

A stove, a fridge, a heater and a proper bed (and a tv...) seem to be the next step - not vacuum cleaners. The houses aren't that big...

I should ask though about washing machines. I've never seen one in the Soweto houses.

by Nomad on Tue Sep 11th, 2007 at 11:32:19 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Thanks (4.00 / 3)

Better health? Well, no. But using one is far more comfortable and saves a lot of time.

With washing machines I also meant modern soap. The annual cloth washing with homemade NaOH 100 years ago (in this country) was a heavy nasty affair, of course left to women.

That's another important thing with tap water - without you it (or rather, your wife and daughters) will often have to walk several hours everyday just carrying water.

One more great invention: the bicycle. For a very low cost your personal transportation abilities are greatly improved.

These are all pretty simple things. The basic ones grant people dignity and a life which is not nasty brutish and short, while the second tiet (vacuum cleaner, washing machine, TV) actually turn life into something comfortable.

Peak oil is not an energy crisis. It is a liquid fuel crisis.

by Starvid (arvid.hallen at gmail.com) on Tue Sep 11th, 2007 at 02:45:39 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Two things (none / 1)

That's another important thing with tap water - without you it (or rather, your wife and daughters) will often have to walk several hours everyday just carrying water.

I quoted a while ago some examples where 1) Western do-gooders installed a pump + generator to extract groundwater and left happily. Generator broke down a short while later, no one knows how to fix it and of course no one wants to ask for help. Lesson: education first.
2) Another village where the women had to walk 4 hours per day to get their water installed a pump. Result: half of the village grew obese, because the food wasn't up to the standards and no one got enough exercise any more. Ironies...

I know what you're saying, but too often the intention to do good triggers consequences people could have thought about on forehand.

And sorry to nag on about the vacuum cleaner but: Starvid:

But using one is far more comfortable and saves a lot of time.

Comfortable? I lost count the amount of times I broke something because of the electronic wire snagging stuff. I even toppled a table once. Not to mention the noise. I will recommend you for the Nobel price if you can find me a vacuum cleaner in a decent price range that does not obliterate my sanity. I like to listen to music when I'm cleaning - there's no way I can do that when vacuuming.

Time saving: if you live in a small house it really, really doesn't. A vacuum cleaner or a broom: you still need to move the bed to clean under it.

But I think you're spot on when it comes to the bicycle - I think we're standing on the eve of a new age of bicycle implementation.

by Nomad on Tue Sep 11th, 2007 at 03:34:10 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Two things (4.00 / 2)

I like to listen to music when I'm cleaning - there's no way I can do that when vacuuming.

So turn up the volume. ;)

Anyway, instead of being all materialist and ordinary, I'll use Oscar Wilde and The soul of man under Socialism to state my goals.

The fact is, that civilisation requires slaves. The Greeks were quite right there. Unless there are slaves to do the ugly, horrible, uninteresting work, culture and contemplation become almost impossible. Human slavery is wrong, insecure, and demoralising. On mechanical slavery, on the slavery of the machine, the future of the world depends. And when scientific men are no longer called upon to go down to a depressing East End and distribute bad cocoa and worse blankets to starving people, they will have delightful leisure in which to devise wonderful and marvellous things for their own joy and the joy of every one else. There will be great storages of force for every city, and for every house if required, and this force man will convert into heat, light, or motion, according to his needs.

Peak oil is not an energy crisis. It is a liquid fuel crisis.

by Starvid (arvid.hallen at gmail.com) on Tue Sep 11th, 2007 at 07:50:20 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: What's your aim? (none / 1)

roof, garden, composting toilet, clean source of water, solar panels, access to medicine, mass infotainment via wireless broadband, (the modern answer to 'education').

Peace is not the absence of war -- peace is the absence of fear. Ursula Franklin

by melo (melometa4(at)gmail.com) on Tue Sep 11th, 2007 at 04:37:12 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Easy (4.00 / 4)

I mean, to write about my aims. This is something that I've been working to crystallize for myself - so this may as well be a good first attempt to get it on paper.

Goals for the coming three years:

Continue and develop education program for high school students from a townswhip with the aim to get them to pass matriculation exams and put them into university.
Investigate the extent and/or develop a program for Street Outreach for street kids.
Investigate the extent and/or develop a (local) program of Food Banks for the poor, especially children.
Investigate and where able adopt the practicalities of living carbon neutral in South Africa - minus the car which remains (sad to say) an inherent necessity.
Investigate possibilities of creating a more comprehensive and modern Direct Aid scheme.
Report and rely on feedback from a familiar internet community...

Yes, that's probably it. I think that's probably more than enough scope for now aside my actual work...

by Nomad on Tue Sep 11th, 2007 at 09:35:53 AM EST

Re: Easy (4.00 / 2)

Man, I'm floored.

Oye, vatos, dees English sink todos mi ships, chinga sus madres, so escuche: el fleet es ahora refloated, OK? — The War Nerd

by Migeru (migeru at eurotrib dot com) on Tue Sep 11th, 2007 at 09:44:29 AM EST
[ Parent ]

My aim is simple. (4.00 / 4)

Go through all the crap I've accumulated after 12 years in the US, throw out what we don't need, sell whatever might be worth selling and donate whatever might be worth donating.

Then sell the house and hope it's still worth more than I owe over here.

Get my CV checked out (I've been sending it off with my french address but not getting any nibbles, thinking it might not be very contemporary anymore for the french market in finance professionals). Maybe there are finance professionals working in France today who might give me some input on it???

Then get the belongings we're going to keep and put them in a container and ship them, probably to the port of Marseille; funny that, my brother and sister-in-law just did this from Montreal, and it's surprising just how cheap it is to do this!

Meantime, travel to France between now and next Spring/Summer for (hopefully) interviews.

Then, if all goes well, buy the one-way plane tickets for my family, take a month or two to find a place to stay and get it habitable while my wife and kids cool it beach-side near Toulon.

Not political, but I'm already pretty busy...

"C'est un scandale !"

by redstar on Tue Sep 11th, 2007 at 11:23:00 AM EST

Re: My aim is simple. (4.00 / 2)

Good luck.

Is it a coincidence that both you and your brother are going to be moving from North America back to France within a year of each other?

Oye, vatos, dees English sink todos mi ships, chinga sus madres, so escuche: el fleet es ahora refloated, OK? — The War Nerd

by Migeru (migeru at eurotrib dot com) on Tue Sep 11th, 2007 at 11:29:17 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: My aim is simple. (4.00 / 3)

Good luck to you as well on your job search. Maybe we should start a consultancy together, though unfortunately for me, my technical area of expertise is in asset-backed and mortgage-backed securities analysis, not exactly a growing market these days, so I'm not sure I'm much of a marketable resource in quant these days anymore...So I'll stick to simple equity valuation/due diligence or, playing it safe, finance directorship-type jobs I guess...

Moving back is not totally a coincidence, it's a driver for my wife, who has been a chief proponent of staying in the US for some reason. It's her sister, not my brother, and she just had a baby, none of my kids cousins live in the US (they're either in France or Germany). I've been angling to move back for 8 years now, was going to go to Insead then but my son was diagnosed with cancer and the project faltered for a while.

BTW, did you pass level 1?

"C'est un scandale !"

by redstar on Tue Sep 11th, 2007 at 11:36:50 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: My aim is simple. (4.00 / 4)

my technical area of expertise is in asset-backed and mortgage-backed securities analysis

Actually, I think reality-oriented analysts for ABS will soon be in great demand.

Banks will be seizing that kind of securities as the guarantees for the loans they made to blown-up hedge funds, SIV, conduits...

They're going to be unsellable in the near future and they will have a long, hard time figuring out what it is worth, wether they should keep it in books for many years, write it off, get involved in the management of the underlying fund or not, etc...

Well, all the stuff they should have been doing before purchasing and only very few actually made, relying on raters and the "ever greater idiot buyer" principle.

When the dust settles, there will be demand for this kind of expertise in every bank I think. Very far from the front office, e.g. in pure credit-risk monitoring BO. Much better position than today IMO.

And where are you going near Toulon ?

Pierre

by Pierre on Tue Sep 11th, 2007 at 11:46:45 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: My aim is simple. (4.00 / 2)

The funny thing is, back in my consulting days, I worked helping a local financial institution with a big ABS portfolio that was undergoing a similar meltdown (Conseco Finance) of their ABS paper shop their assets. And in fact, it's all about reality-based, old-school cash-flow modelling.

I can definitely see that's what these folks are going to need to be doing because, as with Conseco's junk paper back then, the markets are no longer providing adequate price signals. Unfortunately, I wouldn't have the slightest idea how I'd get into that over there, and it's been awhile.

Buffett eventually bought those assets...

"C'est un scandale !"

by redstar on Tue Sep 11th, 2007 at 11:52:34 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: My aim is simple. (4.00 / 2)

The family is in La Seyne S/Mer accross the port from Toulon, but I'm not looking there, more in Rhone-Alps/Geneva (looks like mostly Private Banking up there though, not keen on that) and Ile-de-France where we also have a lot of family and friends.

"C'est un scandale !"

by redstar on Tue Sep 11th, 2007 at 11:54:55 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: My aim is simple. (4.00 / 2)

Well, I guessed you wouldn't be looking for a job around there unless you were a navy contractor or a nurse with a specialty in geriatrics... :->

I have some family around there too, I've spend some time there every summer. Looks every year a bit more like California, which I find quite pleasant actually, indulging in the all-neurons-unplugged lifestyle.

Pierre

by Pierre on Tue Sep 11th, 2007 at 12:34:47 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: My aim is simple. (4.00 / 2)

I failed on the financial statement analysis. The book was too boring and disorganised for me to bother with it so I hoped I would be able to fake it. In fact, just knowing a lot about FIFO and LIFO inventory would have saved the day, I think. So I signed up for December. Now I have no excuse not to spend a few hours a day studying for it and I intend to do that.

I'm totally on board with the joint consultancy. In fact, every time I think of my friends back in Spain I think we should start one together...

Oye, vatos, dees English sink todos mi ships, chinga sus madres, so escuche: el fleet es ahora refloated, OK? — The War Nerd

by Migeru (migeru at eurotrib dot com) on Tue Sep 11th, 2007 at 12:08:08 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: My aim is simple. (none / 1)

You'll get it next time I'm sure.

Something tells me that with your background, you'll get level three easier than level one! Level three is the one that gives everyone else fits...

"C'est un scandale !"

by redstar on Tue Sep 11th, 2007 at 12:14:13 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: My aim is simple. (none / 1)

Get my CV checked out (I've been sending it off with my french address but not getting any nibbles, thinking it might not be very contemporary anymore for the french market in finance professionals). Maybe there are finance professionals working in France today who might give me some input on it???

Why don't you join the booming ET network on LinkedIn?

Oye, vatos, dees English sink todos mi ships, chinga sus madres, so escuche: el fleet es ahora refloated, OK? — The War Nerd

by Migeru (migeru at eurotrib dot com) on Tue Sep 11th, 2007 at 11:30:35 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: My aim is simple. (none / 1)

Where is this?

"C'est un scandale !"

by redstar on Tue Sep 11th, 2007 at 11:37:05 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: My aim is simple. (none / 1)

It was mentioned in my layoff diary. Send me an e-mail and I'll invite you.

Oye, vatos, dees English sink todos mi ships, chinga sus madres, so escuche: el fleet es ahora refloated, OK? — The War Nerd

by Migeru (migeru at eurotrib dot com) on Tue Sep 11th, 2007 at 12:01:25 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Speaking of jobs (none / 1)

We actually have a couple openings in my bank. Structured/project finance. Energy or infrastructure. Paris/La Défense.

I'm taking resumes...

In the long run, we're all dead. John Maynard Keynes

by Jerome a Paris (jeromeguillet@yahoo.fr) on Tue Sep 11th, 2007 at 05:21:10 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Speaking of jobs (none / 1)

Okay.

Oye, vatos, dees English sink todos mi ships, chinga sus madres, so escuche: el fleet es ahora refloated, OK? — The War Nerd

by Migeru (migeru at eurotrib dot com) on Tue Sep 11th, 2007 at 05:23:23 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Speaking of jobs (none / 1)

Thanks! At you personal email?

"C'est un scandale !"

by redstar on Tue Sep 11th, 2007 at 06:25:40 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Speaking of jobs (none / 1)

Whatever works for you...

In the long run, we're all dead. John Maynard Keynes

by Jerome a Paris (jeromeguillet@yahoo.fr) on Wed Sep 12th, 2007 at 12:37:38 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Speaking of jobs (4.00 / 2)

Ok, than I shall do this, I was asking because often in the US there are required formal procedures for applying for positions, which involve simultaneously going through a Human Resources department.

Just making sure. Have a daf-oreiented cv right now and am working on more of an analyst-oriented one and shall forward on in the next day or two.

Thanks again!

"C'est un scandale !"

by redstar on Wed Sep 12th, 2007 at 01:57:06 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: What's your aim? (4.00 / 5)

To echo the others, it is difficult to expand upon "a just, fair and sustainable global society"

That is a pretty wide freakin' net.

I don't rely solely on ET to realize my political aims in life. Different forums and organizations specialize in different ways of creating a just, fair and sustainable global society. I know some people here are sick of hearing about this, but one of the things I came away from Yearly Kos with was the appreciation of different "niche" groups, blogs, etc. working together for a larger goal: DKos for electing Democrats, DFA for recruiting, training and electing progressives, The Sierra Club, The Teamsters, Media Matters, etc. etc. all have a certain focus though they share some basic political aims as each other, they can use their energy and resources wisely and earn a reputation for being the go-to group or blog for a certain issue or sensibility. It's one thing to want to save the world or stop the war, but what tools, expertise, passion do YOU have that are commodities? What are you doing which is not replicating the efforts of others? Does ET have a niche, a role in curbing greenhouse gasses and the migration to a just, fair and sustainable global society? I think it absolutely does - but I also think it is easy to lose sight of not just the aim, but ET's role in achieving it. I say this with humility as I'm often one of the people doing the distracting.

So, anyway, my political aim in life - as it relates to ET:

Communication, dialogue, tearing down borders. Sounds lame. But I was really affected as a child by the utter lack of communication between Russia the Evil Empire and America the Land of the Free, especially between the average citizens. And now I'm living in the 21st Cent. version of the Evil Empire and came to ET because I was really upset by the lack of communication between Americans and those who hate us (and whom we ostensibly hate, like the French, and once again, the Russians). I think we have more in common than not and that the aim of curbing greenhouse gasses and the migration to a just, fair and sustainable global society transcends national borders. So my aim here is to have an ongoing dialogue in which we can clear up misconceptions and educate ourselves about each other. I know that dialogue can turn angry and defensive, but I think that's to be expected and is no reason to give up. I'm interested in seeing what works in other countries and what does not. I'm here to battle anti-American and anti-Russian and anti-French sentiment.

Put very heavy-handedly, my political aim here is to participate in a cosmopolitan, internationalist, global citizen-esque movement. :)

And yes, I know I did not exactly answer your question.

"This is nothing compared to how Putin rigged Eurovision."

by poemless on Tue Sep 11th, 2007 at 11:36:57 AM EST

Re: What's your aim? (none / 1)

Or, if that doesn't work, to turn you all into Communists.

"This is nothing compared to how Putin rigged Eurovision."

by poemless on Tue Sep 11th, 2007 at 11:38:14 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: What's your aim? (4.00 / 2)

I knew it.

When locusts move on, they leave nothing behind

by afew (afew(a in a circle)eurotrib_dot_com) on Thu Sep 13th, 2007 at 08:16:41 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: What's your aim? (4.00 / 2)

welcome back, colman!

nice diary..nitty-gritty..

first of all, nice summation of the basics...totally on board...

my biggest goal..to be better able to watch fascinating documentaries on arte while blogging...

this was beyond me just two weeks ago, but the inner multitasker is developing the requisite neurons!

kidding aside, my goals remain those unfinished from last year....suss the 'water-bearer' factor on my 5 acres, finish a massage room made of sawmill offcuts and trees from the land.

install solar panels, minimum 3 kw, possibly up to 20.

extensive fencing and animal stalls. a new pergola, the one i built 12 years ago has come to the end of it's ability to support the increasing weight of grapes.

add on a thermal green house.

lay flat stones around the house, make treads for the new spiral staircase, build outdoor stage for performances.

build first yurt platform...cut coppiced chestnut for ribs, buy industrial sewing machine....sew yurt.

plant 30 olive trees on top of the hill.

plant dwarf fruit trees, walnuts, hazelnuts, local pear variants.

dig more ponds.

plant echinacea crop, as well as a bigger vegetable garden.

build more shelves, cupboards.

build shutters and take other winterizing measures.

oh yeah, continue attracting ever better musicians to create with, and make a really good demo of my compositions.

continue to get to know the multifaceted community that lives around me, continue to find miracles and wonders in the essential beauty that is every where, all the time, hiding in the banal and the quotidian.

continue to validate the soul of the land and people most vulnerable to the toxic wind of the 'anglo-whitebread' idiocy presently looked up to as supposedly responsible, government by grown-ups.

continue to amuse and educate myself by hanging out at ET!

if there is a hope of establishing a juster world, (and i passionately believe there is, except when i read too many doom-posts!), it will surely come from the free expression and exchange of new ideas, such as i discover and enjoy here daily, and have since i first followed jerome over from dkos.

it will also come from taking the slanted media rigorously to task, (by ardently fostering an alternative narrative) until their ability to parrot and propagandize with lies, sugar-coating destructive policies to an ignorant public is defused by an educated, participatory electorate re-enthused by democracy, and galvanized by the understanding coming from quality communication, to work towards a life rich in the simple pleasures that have been swept away and repackaged for sale as ersatz imitations.

a life that could be emulated across the board, were the earth's resources fairly distributed...

by uniting intelligent, aware people to help realize the moral leverage to counter the myths that rule the world, and return power to the people, away from a klepto-fascist mindset that thrives only on fear, so conveniently whipped up to keep us from standing up for a better world.

counter the selfishness touted as 'normal' by encouraging sharing and co-operation, promoting the joy that comes from giving as the answer to the restless, dissatisfied, 'hungry-ghost' mentality that comes after swigging on the koolaide and crashing surrounded by the toys you thought would make you happy!

better stop now, i'm getting carried away.

good evening, a mellow vespers to you all fellow bloggers for a wiser world!

Peace is not the absence of war -- peace is the absence of fear. Ursula Franklin

by melo (melometa4(at)gmail.com) on Tue Sep 11th, 2007 at 04:09:09 PM EST

Re: What's your aim? (none / 1)

What a lovely dream. Do it!

At my time in life (65), I look at the amount of work you have laid out for yourself, and think to myself, ---"God, what a lot of work!"

My first wife Joyce and I did some of that- we leased a mosquito-infested swamp, converted a 1949 International School bus into a very nice home and grew a hydroponic garden large enough to meet our needs- and built a 46 foot sailboat. while working full time. Five years in the swamp.

Best thing I ever did.

Then, we sailed away. For 14 years. The other best thing I ever did.
The opportunity to make a difference that you speak of with the net was in it's bare infancy, so we wrote through the auspices of a professor and friend of mine, and our central thrust was this:

There are alternatives to a life as a cog in the machine. Life- freedom- is choice, and you do have a choice. Our life afloat is only one of them, but here it is---

Sometimes just the example of someone who escapes can give people hope.

I'm still afloat.

Useful talking follows experience, the more experience the better. Talking that precedes experience is known as bullshit.

by geezer in Paris (risico at wanadoo(flypoop)fr) on Wed Sep 12th, 2007 at 03:20:12 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: What's your aim? (none / 1)

Peace on Earth and an End to War, today?

Oye, vatos, dees English sink todos mi ships, chinga sus madres, so escuche: el fleet es ahora refloated, OK? — The War Nerd

by Migeru (migeru at eurotrib dot com) on Thu Sep 13th, 2007 at 08:22:23 AM EST

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