European Tribune - Community, Politics & Progress.

BBC NEWS | Entertainment | Author Le Clezio wins Nobel prize

Figuring out our family finances...

A vivid image of what should exist acts as a surrogate for reality. Pursuit of the image then prevents pursuit of the reality -- John K. Galbraith

by Migeru (migeru at eurotrib dot com) on Thu Oct 9th, 2008 at 10:21:05 AM EST
[ Parent ]

HOOOOORAY!!!! (4.00 / 4)

As a consequence of the financial crisis, the offering of stocks of the German Railways on the German stock market was delayed (yet again).

(SPD neolib Peer Steinbrück is hard at work saving capitalism; yesterday he presented an eight-point plan of rule changes to prevent a similar crash as the present one in the future -- involving new regulation requiring greater banker responsibility.)

*Traitor*, n.
A benighted individual who perceives an illusory distinction between serving his nation and abetting the criminals who govern it.

by DoDo on Thu Oct 9th, 2008 at 10:23:04 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: HOOOOORAY!!!! (none / 1)

I would expect that the privatisation of La Poste, which was supposed to get started this autumn (the first phase is only the transformation of the company from its public entreprise status to a limited liability company) is likely to be delayed or postponed as well...

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

by Jerome a Paris (jeromeguillet@yahoo.fr) on Thu Oct 9th, 2008 at 10:25:00 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: HOOOOORAY!!!! (none / 1)

We were going to sell the 20 % government share of the bank Nordea. I guess that won't be happening now.Too bad really, but that's life for ya.

Though in hindsight, selling Vin&Sprit to Pernod Ricard for like €7 billion looks like the deal of the decade. :)

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

by Starvid (arvid.hallen at gmail.com) on Thu Oct 9th, 2008 at 10:27:25 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: HOOOOORAY!!!! (none / 1)

Spain finally privatised all its public banks in 1998 (creating Argentaria which was swiftly - within a year - gobbled up by BBV). And now I wonder why the fuck did we have to privatize all the public banks? Having a Caja Postal available would be very useful.

A vivid image of what should exist acts as a surrogate for reality. Pursuit of the image then prevents pursuit of the reality -- John K. Galbraith

by Migeru (migeru at eurotrib dot com) on Thu Oct 9th, 2008 at 10:31:40 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: HOOOOORAY!!!! (4.00 / 2)

So you are behind all of this crisis. I could have known.

Lich King/Caribou Barbie 08
Pain brings Katharsis

by Martin (weiser.mensch(at)googlemail.com) on Thu Oct 9th, 2008 at 02:21:09 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Is anything else (4.00 / 2)

It's not keeping me busy, but it is the non-financial world.

French novelist Jean-Marie Gustave Le Clezio has been awarded this year's Nobel Prize for Literature.
The 68-year-old has been honoured with the 10m kronor (£820,810) award for his distinguished life's work.
The Swedish Academy describes him as "an author of new departures, poetic adventure and sensual ecstasy."
It goes on to call him "an explorer of a humanity beyond and below the reigning civilisation." British author Doris Lessing won last year's prize.
Le Clezio's breakthrough as a novelist came in 1980 with Desert, a work the Swedish academy praised for its "magnificent images of a lost culture in the North African desert."

by Fran (fran at eurotrib dot com) on Thu Oct 9th, 2008 at 11:14:36 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Non-sequitur alert (none / 0)

British author Doris Lessing won last year's prize.

But you have to make the news relevant to your audience, right?

A vivid image of what should exist acts as a surrogate for reality. Pursuit of the image then prevents pursuit of the reality -- John K. Galbraith

by Migeru (migeru at eurotrib dot com) on Thu Oct 9th, 2008 at 11:15:47 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Non-sequitur alert (none / 1)

Of course. As the Newsday put it today

No American has won since Toni Morrison in 1993 and no American was expected to win. Le Clézio did put in a plug yesterday for Philip Roth.

by gk (g k quattro due due sette "at" gmail.com) on Fri Oct 10th, 2008 at 03:16:05 AM EST
[ Parent ]

I just saw that and rushed straight over to EuroTrib to ask about this writer. Because even though I'm reasonably well read, on this side of the pond I've never heard of him.

No surprise, I suppose, given that most of the bookstores these days are huge chains full of bad writing by the likes of Nicholas Sparks.

So, what can you tell me about Jean-Marie Gustave Le Clezio? Titles? I'm willing to try reading him in French, but it would go a lot faster if I could do so in English.

by Mnemosyne on Thu Oct 9th, 2008 at 11:47:50 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Is anything else (none / 1)

I've never heard of him either but then again I don't pretend to be well-read.

A vivid image of what should exist acts as a surrogate for reality. Pursuit of the image then prevents pursuit of the reality -- John K. Galbraith

by Migeru (migeru at eurotrib dot com) on Thu Oct 9th, 2008 at 12:03:17 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Is anything else (4.00 / 4)

J.M.G. Le Clézio is a great writer. He started writing "experimental" novels like "Le Procès-Verbal" and later wrote very subtle novels about themes like travel and childhood ("Désert"). He lived several years among Central America Indians and translated some of their mythology.

"Ne te courbe que pour aimer..." René Char

by Melanchthon on Thu Oct 9th, 2008 at 12:50:20 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Thank you. A quick search of Amazon says all his books are in French, mostly very expensive (even used). If I were to get one to read in French (bearing in mind that it would be slow, with my dictionary close at hand), which would you recommend?

by Mnemosyne on Thu Oct 9th, 2008 at 02:06:51 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Is anything else (none / 1)

I suggest to start with "Désert". It's a wonderful novel.

"Ne te courbe que pour aimer..." René Char

by Melanchthon on Thu Oct 9th, 2008 at 02:21:54 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Also "Le chercheur d'or" (based on his family's history in Mauritius) is a good pick. Also, "Onitsha" (based on his father's work as a doctor in Nigeria).

Seems like very few of his novels have been translated to English; maybe this will change after the Nobel...

His Wikipedia entry is quite complete, although it's missing its latest novel "Ritournelle de la faim", published earlier this year.

Europeans think a hundred miles is a long way. Americans think a hundred years is a long time.

by Bernard on Thu Oct 9th, 2008 at 03:43:13 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Thank you. I checked in at the local Borders tonight, and they have some things listed, although nothing in stock. The reference desk man said he thought there would soon be reprints available, given the award.

Because the titles are often changed when a translation is published, I couldn't tell for sure if one of the two I was looking for was already in English.

I'll keep looking. Perhaps I can get two copies, one in French and another in English to help me along.

I know a tiny bit about Mauritius, so that one might be an interesting read.

by Mnemosyne on Thu Oct 9th, 2008 at 11:05:41 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Looks like they have some paperbacks and used copies at more decent prices on barnesandnoble.com, including Onitsha, Wandering Star {Etoile Errante) and The Round and Other Cold Hard Facts (La Ronde et autres faits divers).

The Prospector (Le chercheur d'or) is on powells.com, but on backorder.

Europeans think a hundred miles is a long way. Americans think a hundred years is a long time.

by Bernard on Thu Oct 9th, 2008 at 04:05:13 PM EST
[ Parent ]

One of my favorite French language writers; I was just reading "Ourania" these days; I'll try to finish tonight....

JMG Le Clezio first breakthrough in France was as early as 1963 when he was awarded the Renaudot prize.

Europeans think a hundred miles is a long way. Americans think a hundred years is a long time.

by Bernard on Thu Oct 9th, 2008 at 03:33:48 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Is anything else (4.00 / 4)

Not something else:
Yesterday Keynes was mentioned by our PM in Paliament. Must have been a first.
On the same vein, last Monday, on a tv debate one of the Business Bosses mentioned the eventual desirability of having a few years (no for ever!) of (grab your seats) Planned Economy.
Strange days, indeed.

by Torres on Thu Oct 9th, 2008 at 11:14:50 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Is anything else (4.00 / 3)

"Don't worry, this is not communism"

A vivid image of what should exist acts as a surrogate for reality. Pursuit of the image then prevents pursuit of the reality -- John K. Galbraith

by Migeru (migeru at eurotrib dot com) on Thu Oct 9th, 2008 at 11:16:31 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Is anything else (4.00 / 3)

No, if a captain of industry calls for it, it is not. Must be something else, maybe similar but without the evil.

by Torres on Thu Oct 9th, 2008 at 11:58:25 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Is anything else (4.00 / 2)

It's the New Industrial State of Galbraith.

Captains of industry Haven't been seen since the times of Veblen :-)

A vivid image of what should exist acts as a surrogate for reality. Pursuit of the image then prevents pursuit of the reality -- John K. Galbraith

by Migeru (migeru at eurotrib dot com) on Thu Oct 9th, 2008 at 12:01:04 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Is anything else (4.00 / 5)

Yesterday Keynes was mentioned by our PM in Paliament. Must have been a first.

How long until they mention Marx?

*Traitor*, n.
A benighted individual who perceives an illusory distinction between serving his nation and abetting the criminals who govern it.

by DoDo on Thu Oct 9th, 2008 at 01:42:58 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Is anything else (4.00 / 6)

Groucho?

A vivid image of what should exist acts as a surrogate for reality. Pursuit of the image then prevents pursuit of the reality -- John K. Galbraith

by Migeru (migeru at eurotrib dot com) on Thu Oct 9th, 2008 at 02:00:12 PM EST
[ Parent ]

A seven-course chocolate tasting menu? Including fish? - Features, Food & Drink - The Independent

Well, funny world where one could actually imagine that the leader of a party named Socialist would more associate at an American comedian...

*Traitor*, n.
A benighted individual who perceives an illusory distinction between serving his nation and abetting the criminals who govern it.

by DoDo on Thu Oct 9th, 2008 at 02:28:20 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Is anything else (4.00 / 6)

From Duck Soup

Finance Minister: [This meeting] must take-up the tax.

Groucho: I think we should take-up the carpet.

Finance Minister: I insist we take-up the tax.

Groucho's Secretary: He's right. We have to take-up the tacks before we take-up the carpet.

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

by ATinNM on Thu Oct 9th, 2008 at 02:37:46 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Is anything else (4.00 / 4)

VERY appropriate for Parliament: He's the guy who said:

"I refuse to join any club that would have me as a member."

"Ideas or the lack of them can cause disease." - Kurt Vonnegut

by dvx (dvx.clt ät gmail dotcom) on Thu Oct 9th, 2008 at 02:58:07 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Is anything else (none / 1)

and something else non-financial and I don't know what to think about it. :-)

Located in the fashionable streets of north London, Almeida restaurant and bar is exactly the sort of establishment you'd expect to offer trendy one-off menus and exciting, fresh ingredients. Squab pigeon... yes. Smoked eel and oysters... almost certainly. Butternut squash velouté... a must. Fine chocolate in every course... really?
To mark National Chocolate Week, which begins on Monday, Almeida's head chef Alan Jones and award-winning chocolatier Paul A Young are doing just that by joining forces to create an indulgent seven-course chocolate-tasting menu.
For one week only, diners will be able to feast on butternut squash velouté with a Venezuelan chocolate and cumin stirrer, smoked eel and oyster in chocolate vinaigrette and brill with a hazelnut and coco crust. The £60 meal continues with roast pigeon and candied carrots and an Amedei Toscano black chocolate jus. Dessert of poached figs with white, milk and dark chocolate comes after a cheese-and-(yes)-chocolate course and a kitsch pre-dessert of chocolate ice cream, almonds, fudge, cacao nibs, hundreds and thousands and marshmallows.

by Fran (fran at eurotrib dot com) on Thu Oct 9th, 2008 at 11:19:18 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Accompanied by chocolate stout beer I trust.

keep to the Fen Causeway

by Helen (lareinagal at yahoo dot co dot uk) on Thu Oct 9th, 2008 at 11:23:22 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Is anything else (4.00 / 9)

I have good news.

Back home, we've grown used to seeing factories shut down.

But yesterday, we got some good news. An Italian wind turbine manufacturer announced that it's building a plant in my hometown.

MUNCIE, Ind. - An Italian company that manufactures wind turbines plans to bring more than 450 jobs to the Muncie area, officials announced Wednesday.
Brevini USA will move its U.S. headquarters to a business park near Interstate 69 in western Delaware County and build its first U.S. factory at the site, state and company officials announced at a news conference......
The Muncie-area business development group Energize-ECI Inc. said Brevini would invest more than $60 million and create about 450 jobs with annual pay averaging more than $46,000.

I think that there's a (lamentable) lack of understanding of industrial cluster theory as a an economic development strategy back home, but I think that this could be the start of something big. Wind turbines are large, and it makes a lot of sense to cluster manufacturing process to avoid shipping tons of metal around the country.

And the location of Muncie is ideal, because it's on a major interstate, and there's going to be a rail spur to the site.

Reading this was a pleasant surprise. I know what getting in early did for Pamplona and Vittoria when the boom in Spanish wind came. It can be a huge growth industry. My only concern is that the "demand destruction" being wrought by the market crisis will put backward pressure on green energy projects like windpower and the push for plug in hybrids like the Volt.

And I'll give my consent to any government that does not deny a man a living wage-Billy Bragg

by ManfromMiddletown (manfrommiddletown at lycos dot com) on Thu Oct 9th, 2008 at 01:44:19 PM EST
[ Parent ]

As Far As I Know (4.00 / 4)

I thought Brevini was based in the UK, but anyway they don't manufacture wind turbines. They make planetary gearboxes for yaw and pitch drives. These are the drives which turn the blades to the proper angle of attack depending on the wind (pitch), and which rotate (yaw) the entire nacelle to as close to perpendicular to the prevailing wind direction as possible, through the command of the central controller software.

Skennah Kowa

by Crazy Horse on Thu Oct 9th, 2008 at 03:40:47 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: As Far As I Know (4.00 / 3)

Of course, i forgot to write, that's great for your town, and another example of how serious renewable energy development creates real local jobs, throughout the entire supply chain, not just in the windy areas. An economic boon in real terms.

Skennah Kowa

by Crazy Horse on Thu Oct 9th, 2008 at 03:44:54 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Call your wind plant and raise your jobs (4.00 / 3)

In an article in the Arkansas Democrat Gazette today, 10-9-08, a Dutch wind-blade manufacturer, Polymarin Composites and one of its suppliers, Wind Water Technology, announced plans to create about 830 jobs in the Little Rock area over the next four years. Last year Danish manufacturer LM Glasfiber broke ground on a $150 million plant at the Port of Little Rock.

Polymarin will move into the former Levi Strauss distribution center on I 530. Both Polymarin and LM Glasfiber value the inland water shipping capability that the Port of Little Rock provides via the Arkansas River and its connections to the Mississippi and the Gulf of Mexico.

If sanity be culturally normative, then by the norms of this culture I claim insanity.

by ARGeezer (argeezer a in a circle yahoo dot com) on Thu Oct 9th, 2008 at 04:50:11 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Call your wind plant and raise your jobs (4.00 / 6)

Wow. The second European wind company's move to amurka to hit tonight's OT. What is the world coming to? (Hint: after decades of poisoned sleep, amurka is the world's numero uno wind markt.)

Unfortunately, it's also the home of Mordor-like entrenched lobbies and their media slaves. Al Gore isn't powerful enough to get his paid ad played after the last debate, but the oilers and coalers were OK.

Readers here can't imagine what it's like to see your entire life's work finally being vindicated, yet knowing the biggest battles are yet to come. (Or can they?)

Skennah Kowa

by Crazy Horse on Thu Oct 9th, 2008 at 05:05:53 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Wasn't there (none / 1)

recently a note of Vestas's opening of a big factory in Colorado, as well as Siemens's opening in Iowa?

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

by Jerome a Paris (jeromeguillet@yahoo.fr) on Thu Oct 9th, 2008 at 05:21:22 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Wasn't there (4.00 / 2)

Since 2005, i believe there are some three dozen new factories which have opened or are opening, from blade manufacturing, through turbine assembly, to several dedicated tower rollers. Vestas, Gamesa, Acciona, Suzlon, on and on. Of course home-grown Clipper is employing thousands in their new factories/site workers. Even nuclear supplier TECO Westinghouse has a new assembly facility in Texas to produce the 60hz DeWind turbines.

And that doesn't include the expansion of component suppliers, whose ramp-up is not calculated as yet.

hell, even Deutsche WindGuard has a north american presence, and is looking for qualified techs.

Skennah Kowa

by Crazy Horse on Thu Oct 9th, 2008 at 05:43:23 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Wasn't there (4.00 / 2)

And that doesn't include the ramp-up of the entire service industry, from several dozens of new cranes being built each year, to the entire technical operations industry being built (including at least a half dozen community colleges now with specific windpower training programs). Not to mention the transport industry, to get the big things around, by ship and truck. Did i forget to mention the hundreds of thousands of concrete truck cycles pouring the foundations?

Or the onsite construction workers?

What have i left out? (Ohh, the lawyers and dealmakers.)

Skennah Kowa

by Crazy Horse on Thu Oct 9th, 2008 at 05:54:03 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Hey, that my intellectual property you stole up there, commie. ;)

[Drew's WHEEEEE™ Technology]

Damned French.

Where's your motherf*%&ing flag pin?

by Drew J Jones (blahblahblah@blahblahblah.com) on Thu Oct 9th, 2008 at 02:47:44 PM EST
[ Parent ]

German trade surplus falls (none / 1)

August data is out: year-on-year, exports fell 2.5% while imports rose 2.6%, to reduce the August trade balance from €14.3 billion to €10.6 billion. Most of the import reduction and export increase is to/from outside the EU, so I'm not sure a trend of further reduction can be easily assumed, with the fall of the Euro since countering the downturn in the USA.

*Traitor*, n.
A benighted individual who perceives an illusory distinction between serving his nation and abetting the criminals who govern it.

by DoDo on Thu Oct 9th, 2008 at 10:19:10 AM EST

Re: German trade surplus falls (none / 1)

Not to forget the oil price was higher back then as well.

Lich King/Caribou Barbie 08
Pain brings Katharsis

by Martin (weiser.mensch(at)googlemail.com) on Thu Oct 9th, 2008 at 03:52:06 PM EST
[ Parent ]

"Nobody could have predicted" (4.00 / 10)

We were given an update by my CEO on the current events in the financial world. I won't go into any details here, obviously, but I thought I'd mention that he said "nobody could have predicted this crisis (blablabla) no expert ever imagined that it could be that bad..."

Sigh. How do we get more Serious People^TM to read eurotrib?

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

by Jerome a Paris (jeromeguillet@yahoo.fr) on Thu Oct 9th, 2008 at 10:22:29 AM EST

Was it impossible for you to counter him?

*Traitor*, n.
A benighted individual who perceives an illusory distinction between serving his nation and abetting the criminals who govern it.

by DoDo on Thu Oct 9th, 2008 at 10:23:42 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Yes (4.00 / 6)

Questions were allowed, but in a tightly controlled way. I did get to ask him one, but I did not comment on that particular bit.

The union guys asked the hardest-hitting questions, explicitly saying that others probably did not dare ask them...

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

by Jerome a Paris (jeromeguillet@yahoo.fr) on Thu Oct 9th, 2008 at 10:26:50 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Yes (none / 0)

I guess you have not been able to communicate your worries to the higher ups? I mean, you've been going on about this for like three years.

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

by Starvid (arvid.hallen at gmail.com) on Thu Oct 9th, 2008 at 10:28:28 AM EST
[ Parent ]

I don't really talk to higher ups (4.00 / 6)

I spend my time on my deals. Management is too political for me.

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

by Jerome a Paris (jeromeguillet@yahoo.fr) on Thu Oct 9th, 2008 at 10:52:22 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: I don't really talk to higher ups (none / 1)

Plus there's supposed to be a risk department whose job it is to predict (or at least stress-test) these things.

A vivid image of what should exist acts as a surrogate for reality. Pursuit of the image then prevents pursuit of the reality -- John K. Galbraith

by Migeru (migeru at eurotrib dot com) on Thu Oct 9th, 2008 at 11:13:25 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: I don't really talk to higher ups (none / 1)

Haha.

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

by Starvid (arvid.hallen at gmail.com) on Thu Oct 9th, 2008 at 11:30:03 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Stress testing (4.00 / 5)

I was talking to someone who used to work for an SIV. At one point he wan involved in figuring out scenarios under which their portfolio would blow up. One of the scenarios was "worldwide market outage lasting 4 weeks or more". Of course that scenario was looked at by the appropriate senior person and signed off as 'acceptable risk'. And of course that's what happened in August last year.

A vivid image of what should exist acts as a surrogate for reality. Pursuit of the image then prevents pursuit of the reality -- John K. Galbraith

by Migeru (migeru at eurotrib dot com) on Thu Oct 9th, 2008 at 11:34:38 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Stress testing (none / 0)

Information Processing in Business

The Claim (Hutchinson Operator):

[W(A) U a1(w1) U a2(w2) ... an(wn), n = 1, 2, 3 ....] such that SIWIGO = 1

Where:

W = Repertoire of Operations on the data
w = Selected operation
A = Total data stream
a = Selected data
SIWIGO = Some Idea of What Is Going On.

What Really Happens:

[WB(BA) U ab1(wb1) U ab2(wb2) ... abn(wbn), n = 1, 2, 3 ....] such that SIWIGO = {}

Where:

WB = Repertoire of Operations on the data allowed by the Big Bosses

wb = Selected operation on data by little bosses to confirm the prejudices and preconceptions of the Big Bosses

AB = Total data stream selected to confirm the prejudices and preconceptions of the Big Bosses

ab = Selected data specifically chosen to confirm the prejudices and preconceptions of the Big Bosses

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

by ATinNM on Thu Oct 9th, 2008 at 02:26:46 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Yes (4.00 / 3)

Starvid naively asks, "I guess you have not been able to communicate your worries to the higher ups?"

Don't know about France. In the US telling the truth or questioning higher ups is a sure ticket to unemployment for white collar workers. A 'blue collar' worker is simply ignored; after all, if that person knew anything they'd be a white collar worker.

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

by ATinNM on Thu Oct 9th, 2008 at 02:06:33 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Someone who can say that kind of thing is so duplicitous or so dumb, or both, that reading ET would do nothing for her/im.

When locusts move on, they leave nothing behind

by afew (afew(a in a circle)eurotrib_dot_com) on Thu Oct 9th, 2008 at 10:49:11 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Hehe (4.00 / 9)

All the Serious People say it, though. It's a requirement to be a Serious People, I think, actually...

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

by Jerome a Paris (jeromeguillet@yahoo.fr) on Thu Oct 9th, 2008 at 10:53:05 AM EST
[ Parent ]

The Serious People (4.00 / 2)

How does it feel to be
One of the Serious People?
Now that you know who you are
What do you want to be?
And have you traveled very far?
Far as the eye can see.
How does it feel to be
One of the Serious People?
How often have you been there?
Often enough to know.
What did you see, when you were there?
Nothing that doesn't show.
Baby you're a rich man,
Baby you're a rich man,
Baby you're a rich man too.
You keep all your money in a big brown bag inside a zoo.
What a thing to do.

When locusts move on, they leave nothing behind

by afew (afew(a in a circle)eurotrib_dot_com) on Thu Oct 9th, 2008 at 11:21:09 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Hehe (none / 1)

Not having to live in reality seems to be an implicit job requirement at that level.

Still - it must be galling to work for such a total noob.

by ThatBritGuy (thatbritguy (at) googlemail.com) on Thu Oct 9th, 2008 at 11:24:24 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Whenver I see "no-one could have predicted..." I remember Bill Maher's rant about Iraq which can be summarised as "when you've been so wrong for so long regarding just about everything, you have to stop making predictions".

This applies especially to Francis Fuk-u-uppa, who writes in the Guardian too often for my liking (about once every 3 months is far far too often).

keep to the Fen Causeway

by Helen (lareinagal at yahoo dot co dot uk) on Thu Oct 9th, 2008 at 11:56:27 AM EST
[ Parent ]

These "Serious People" have to see some benefit to themselves in investing their time at ET. Perhaps people in the upcoming Obama administration will take some of ETs ideas and run with them. They'll have financial problems that the old bullshit won't address and the population will be looking for effective answers (or at least possibilities) to the chaos.

Question: What does ET offer a US population in turmoil, after the election? Time to get the concepts/arguements/etc. organized. Time to become a bonafide "Think Tank"? Obama Time less than a month away.

McCain/Palin ... total sacks of SHIT!

by THE Twank (paszeski__aaaaaaatttttt__yahoo.com) on Thu Oct 9th, 2008 at 12:11:08 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: "Nobody could have predicted" (4.00 / 3)

It's not going to make a difference if Obama is president. His economic people are hardcore neo-libs who think that "education" is the key to this crisis. They don't question the premise that the market is God.

I honestly think that an Obama presidency may do more harm than a McCain one would.

Because, McCain will be kept on a leash. Obama will not, and the cultish impulse means that dissent will be punished. So there will likely be less room for challenging the wisdom of current economic policy then than there is now. And with Rubin and friends running the show, there is no chance that they are going to take Wall Street on.

And in the end, this will serve to discredit the Left on economic issues. And that means more of the same.

And I'll give my consent to any government that does not deny a man a living wage-Billy Bragg

by ManfromMiddletown (manfrommiddletown at lycos dot com) on Thu Oct 9th, 2008 at 02:34:56 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: "Nobody could have predicted" (4.00 / 2)

Obama might be forced into into action. The US government, while willing to use force, is terrified of civil unrest.

McCain's thirst for WW3 wouldn't be good for the economy either.

you are the media you consume.

by MillMan (millguy at gmail) on Thu Oct 9th, 2008 at 03:38:56 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Very good MillMan, VERY GOOD!

Give Obama options which AT LEAST have a chance at turning things around. That's what America will want, and ineffective bullshit won't cut it.

McCain/Palin ... total sacks of SHIT!

by THE Twank (paszeski__aaaaaaatttttt__yahoo.com) on Thu Oct 9th, 2008 at 04:55:14 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Well, that's one opinion I TOTALLY disagree with.

NEXT!

McCain/Palin ... total sacks of SHIT!

by THE Twank (paszeski__aaaaaaatttttt__yahoo.com) on Thu Oct 9th, 2008 at 04:52:41 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: "Nobody could have predicted" (4.00 / 2)

NEXT!

This is precisely the reason that nothing will change.

Because the moment that anyone expresses an inkling of doubt, it's SYFPH.

And that's not going to cut it when there is a serious economic crisis underway.

I have no doubt that an Obama Presidency would see the passage of the Employee Free Choice Act, but I doubt that there's going to commitment to the level of market regulation that's needed to deal with the root problem.

Markets are not self-regulating. Acting as though they are means encourages corrupt behavior, and ridiculous schemes like the derivates swindle to develop.

This is fully understood by those who encourage deregulation, and then when it becomes clear that markets have become little more than the mega-casinos of the "serious people" they acted shocked, just shocked, at the corruption going on.

Pressing working people into compromise with the "serious people" on Wall Street is like asking chickens to make a deal with Col. Sanders.

But instead of focusing on the rape of the American economy, we've been swept up in a feel good campaign about whether this election is going to be historic for because it put a women or a black man into a position of power.

Now millions may be left without work, hundreds of thousands without homes, and a nation without real hope.

But don't you see that doesn't matter, because this campaign is going to be historic however it ends up. It's a damn shame that those without homes can't sleep beneath the shadow of history, and that those who go hungry can't eat it. But it's history that we'll have, and the consequences for humanity be damned.

And I'll give my consent to any government that does not deny a man a living wage-Billy Bragg

by ManfromMiddletown (manfrommiddletown at lycos dot com) on Thu Oct 9th, 2008 at 05:40:04 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Questions: (none / 1)

What does it actually mean, who does what, when you request "But instead of focusing on the rape of the American economy ..."? Are you saying you are dissatisfied with the "themes" of the Obama campaign?
If you are interested in feeding and housing people, your solution is ... what? "Focus on the rape of the American economy"? Who does that feed or house? How?

McCain/Palin ... total sacks of SHIT!

by THE Twank (paszeski__aaaaaaatttttt__yahoo.com) on Thu Oct 9th, 2008 at 05:58:04 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Questions: (4.00 / 4)

1. Nationalization is the answer. Neither candidate is willing to admit that, at least in the short term, broad sections of the US economy need to be nationalized through the purchase of the entire business by the government. I'm not talking about equity, I'm talking about ownership. This isn't compromise, this is a real solution.

It isn't just banks. GM closed below $5 today. The time has come for the government to take a controlling stake in GM and get rid of the current management. The collapse of GM would lead to wages in the sector being dropped to the Delphi rate that's about half what the wage is now. The transplants will follow. Toyota in Kentucky was caught with its pants down on this one about 2 years back. Honda has always refused to match wages in the auto sector. The collapse of wages in the auto sector means depression, because it will create a downward spiral on wages in the areas this plants have been built.

The end result? Depression level unemployment in Michigan and the Midwest as demand is destroyed in those regions. Unemployment is at or near 9% in Michigan, and in auto cities in Indiana. If you slash wages in the auto factories, people are going to default on their house, and they sure the fuck aren't going to be eating out or going to shop. Demand destruction results in the resulting reductions in supply. If people lose their jobs, then the people who made the products that the job losers lose their jobs too. It's a cycle of destruction. Same thing with wage cuts.

I'm sorry, but I don't see an adequate appreciation for the gravity of the situation from either Obama or McCain. We've got Al Smith running against Herbert Hoover, and we're starting economic calamity down. Forgive me for being less than ecstatic about the prospects of the election to actually make a difference.

And I'll give my consent to any government that does not deny a man a living wage-Billy Bragg

by ManfromMiddletown (manfrommiddletown at lycos dot com) on Thu Oct 9th, 2008 at 07:56:26 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Much buzz in the US that Obama might be assassinated. This has been going on since he entered the race last year.

Remember, the US is run by a one-party, two-party system. Unlike Janus, the two faces are posed looking the same direction: downward at the tax revenue of the US Treasury.

Share. Share resources, share delight, share burdens, share the healing. If we only could realize that sharing will bring us back from mass suicide.

by Isis on Thu Oct 9th, 2008 at 11:42:44 PM EST
[ Parent ]

they thought they had found the perpetual motion money machine, the holy grail of capitalist fantasies.

no-one can make water run uphill, but they succeeded beyond their wildest dreams in making capital do just that!

icarus flew too close to the sun, and gravity took over.

some of them are just covering their asses feigning naivete, having safely offshored their profits ahead of time.

"who me? how could i have known, do you expect me to go scrape the internet for wild-eyed prophecies to clue me in?"

er, yes actually... it's called due diligence

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

by melo (melometa4(at)gmail.com) on Thu Oct 9th, 2008 at 04:36:28 PM EST
[ Parent ]

they're still hooked on crappy sources, need more time and crises to motivate them to drill deeper for news-they-can-use.

now you'll be blogging more to celebrate our new readers, and help them up to speed!

welcome new eyeballs, you have arrived...

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

by melo (melometa4(at)gmail.com) on Thu Oct 9th, 2008 at 05:11:33 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Heading over to the Sac State campus (none / 1)

to check my tutoring fliers.

Getting a late start. Still coolish out. Have to lock the cat in; tends to follow me when I walk down the road.

Oh yeah, DOW's DOWN 156. OOOPS! On to the 8000's.

McCain/Palin ... total sacks of SHIT!

by THE Twank (paszeski__aaaaaaatttttt__yahoo.com) on Thu Oct 9th, 2008 at 11:06:31 AM EST

Re: Heading over to the Sac State campus (none / 0)

It's turning into another bloodbath this afternoon.

you are the media you consume.

by MillMan (millguy at gmail) on Thu Oct 9th, 2008 at 03:42:49 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Heading over to the Sac State campus (none / 0)

Jesus, in the time it took me to go refill my cup of water ten feet away, it dropped another 100 points. This is nuts. Do I hear 8500? 8400? Bueller? Bueller?

Where's your motherf*%&ing flag pin?

by Drew J Jones (blahblahblah@blahblahblah.com) on Thu Oct 9th, 2008 at 03:49:21 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Heading over to the Sac State campus (4.00 / 5)

you are the media you consume.

by MillMan (millguy at gmail) on Thu Oct 9th, 2008 at 03:54:47 PM EST
[ Parent ]

For the last time (4.00 / 3)

more animals

You can't be me, I'm taken

by Sven Triloqvist on Thu Oct 9th, 2008 at 04:40:58 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Thursday Open Thread (4.00 / 3)

Away from all the doom and gloom, it's been a lovely day here near london with a forecast of a few more to come.

The downside was that my mother has decided that a lot of work needs to be done in the garden while the sun shines and I got volunteered to do it.

today hedge trimming.

fortunately I've got a good excuse to be away for the next three days - job hunting.

keep to the Fen Causeway

by Helen (lareinagal at yahoo dot co dot uk) on Thu Oct 9th, 2008 at 11:20:56 AM EST

Good luck with the job hunting!

by Fran (fran at eurotrib dot com) on Thu Oct 9th, 2008 at 11:28:46 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Are you going to job fayres or something? good luck.

Ad astra per aspera

by In Wales (inwales aaat eurotrib.com) on Thu Oct 9th, 2008 at 01:22:36 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Yes, there's a two day job fiar for the non-profit sector. There seem to be a lot of people there I might be interested in, so I'm gonna take my time, go to a couple of good seminars (how to do a cv !! - me need lots) and work my way around. (should I say network ??).

I'm very much out of practice at this so there's a certain element of interview practice and ensuring I know how best to present myself in 1 - 1 conversations. Also, my cv is crud so I'm looking for help (which is available there).

keep to the Fen Causeway

by Helen (lareinagal at yahoo dot co dot uk) on Thu Oct 9th, 2008 at 01:26:39 PM EST
[ Parent ]

It sounds useful. Is there a fee for it? I hope you get something practical out of it.

Ad astra per aspera

by In Wales (inwales aaat eurotrib.com) on Thu Oct 9th, 2008 at 01:40:06 PM EST
[ Parent ]

It's free, or at least I've got free tickets. I'm giving one to Mig and we're going together tho' I imagine we'll be going in different directions once inside.

I've not run out of cash yet, but I will unless I do something soon.

keep to the Fen Causeway

by Helen (lareinagal at yahoo dot co dot uk) on Thu Oct 9th, 2008 at 01:54:36 PM EST
[ Parent ]

You know, I'm wondering whether there'll be any jobs for me there. Everytime I look at nonprofit job websites I come away disappointed.

A vivid image of what should exist acts as a surrogate for reality. Pursuit of the image then prevents pursuit of the reality -- John K. Galbraith

by Migeru (migeru at eurotrib dot com) on Thu Oct 9th, 2008 at 01:56:20 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Good luck for both of you.

Ad astra per aspera

by In Wales (inwales aaat eurotrib.com) on Thu Oct 9th, 2008 at 01:57:54 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Thursday Open Thread (4.00 / 3)

I have a brand new iMac. It is gorgeous! I can hardly believe it. I have no software really for it at the moment, on the lookout for CS2 for macs, but I should be able to buy a cheap version of office 2007 for students through the OU.

To mac users... which are the end and home keys?

Ad astra per aspera

by In Wales (inwales aaat eurotrib.com) on Thu Oct 9th, 2008 at 12:51:39 PM EST

If you don't have other sources, Adobe does student deals too...

by Metatone (metatone [a|t] gmail (dot) com) on Thu Oct 9th, 2008 at 01:06:32 PM EST
[ Parent ]

I have some important basics... firefox and someone's TribExt add on.

Ad astra per aspera

by In Wales (inwales aaat eurotrib.com) on Thu Oct 9th, 2008 at 01:21:30 PM EST
[ Parent ]

How much can you get office for ? I live on wordpad, but i think I need to become more proficient with excel and access to pad my cv.

keep to the Fen Causeway

by Helen (lareinagal at yahoo dot co dot uk) on Thu Oct 9th, 2008 at 01:22:44 PM EST
[ Parent ]

60 day trial I think

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 Thu Oct 9th, 2008 at 05:27:06 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Microsoft would never be so dumb as to actually sue anyone using office illegally...

Auferre, trucidare, rapere, falsis nominibus imperium; atque, ubi solitudinem faciunt, pacem appellant.

by linca (antonin POINT lucas AROBASE gmail.com) on Fri Oct 10th, 2008 at 08:30:50 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Bill Gates is on record on a BBC interview in saying he'd much rather you used a pirated copy of his software than use one of his opponents products.

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 Fri Oct 10th, 2008 at 08:35:25 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Its called mindshare. Once people are used to your software they won't want the hassle of changing and there is always a possibility that they will have to upgrade to a legit copy at some stage.

Vote McCain for war without gain

by Frank Schnittger (mail Frankschnittger at hot dotty communists) on Fri Oct 10th, 2008 at 09:01:02 AM EST
[ Parent ]

More importantly, the goal is making it much easier for companies (who might realistically get sued) to use Office, for which the workforce is already trained, rather than one of the free competitors.

Auferre, trucidare, rapere, falsis nominibus imperium; atque, ubi solitudinem faciunt, pacem appellant.

by linca (antonin POINT lucas AROBASE gmail.com) on Fri Oct 10th, 2008 at 09:12:35 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Software for personal use is increasingly free and expected to be so - its only when deployed by corporates that charging and suing becomes realistic

Vote McCain for war without gain

by Frank Schnittger (mail Frankschnittger at hot dotty communists) on Fri Oct 10th, 2008 at 09:27:34 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Which Apple keyboard do you have? (none / 0)

Which Apple keyboard do you have?

Do you have the big one like this one or the small one like this one?

I just purchased the wired big one and am very happy with it. It's the best keyboard I've ever used in 30 years of computering.

by Magnifico on Thu Oct 9th, 2008 at 01:24:09 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Which Apple keyboard do you have? (none / 0)

I have the big one although the names on some of the keys are different. It is so lovely.

Ad astra per aspera

by In Wales (inwales aaat eurotrib.com) on Thu Oct 9th, 2008 at 01:34:11 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Home and End keys (none / 0)

Right, I don't know why Apple doesn't show a UK keyboard on their UK website. Here is a picture (the top keyboard) of what I think you have.

Okay if it is anything like the American keyboard, then the home and end keys are the two keys directly above the arrow keys. So to the left of the keypad and to the right of the alpha-numeric keys, then up.

The behavior of the keys are a bit different on a Mac than on other operating systems. So if you're new to a Mac and are accustomed to different behavior, it can be changed. You may need to use the Terminal (application in utilities) and a Unix text editor (like pico, nano, or vi) to make these changes, rather then the GUI text editor.

I'm on a Windows box right now at work and cannot check my Mac at home.

by Magnifico on Thu Oct 9th, 2008 at 01:50:01 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Home and End keys (none / 0)

That's the one. Never had a mac before but I'm not fussed about resetting the keys or anything, I'll get the hang of it quick enough.

The thing I find really difficult to get used to is the fact that the letters are central on the keys, on pc keyboards they are off centre. For some reason my brain keeps thinking that the letters are upside down on my mac keyboard.

Ad astra per aspera

by In Wales (inwales aaat eurotrib.com) on Thu Oct 9th, 2008 at 01:55:07 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Home=apple key+left arrow

End=apple key+right arrow

Option+left or right arrow will move you one word either direction

Apple key+up or down arrow will take you to to the top/bottom of the doc or page

Check out the "keyboard shortcuts" in the 'help menu', they're incredibly helpful....

by gioele (gioele(daught)sandler(aaaattttt)gmail(daught)kom) on Thu Oct 9th, 2008 at 01:48:48 PM EST
[ Parent ]

thanks for the tip. I think I have worked out which ones are the option and apple keys!

Ad astra per aspera

by In Wales (inwales aaat eurotrib.com) on Thu Oct 9th, 2008 at 01:56:58 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Ahh, on yours the command key (with the funny clover) is the apple key and the alt key is the option key.

If you go to the apple icon on the upper right of your screen and click on it, then click on 'System Preferences', wait till a window opens, then click on 'international', then click 'input menu' and then click on the 'keyboard viewer' box you can enable the keyboard viewer icon on the top right of your menu (should be a little UK flag icon). Once you do this you can click on the flag and open the keyboard viewer which allows you to see in real time what the combination of keys that you push will type. All those crazy symbols that you don't need until you need them and required you to memorize an ascii code in Windows.

If you want to change the keyboard layout to another language you can do this also in the international section of system preferences. Once enabled you can use the native Mac spell checker in other languages. To open the spell check window hit 'cmd+shift+semicolon', and to change the language click on the menu there....

by gioele (gioele(daught)sandler(aaaattttt)gmail(daught)kom) on Thu Oct 9th, 2008 at 02:16:34 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Thanks!

Ad astra per aspera

by In Wales (inwales aaat eurotrib.com) on Thu Oct 9th, 2008 at 02:22:19 PM EST
[ Parent ]

You've come into the light then?

by Colman (colman at eurotrib.com) on Thu Oct 9th, 2008 at 01:58:02 PM EST
[ Parent ]

I've never been anti-mac, just anti itunes. And still am.

Ad astra per aspera

by In Wales (inwales aaat eurotrib.com) on Thu Oct 9th, 2008 at 02:13:54 PM EST
[ Parent ]

I use iTunes only as a player for my music that I have loaded from CDs.

I don't/won't buy songs from the itunes store.

I won't buy any crap with DRM and as long as I don't then iTunes leaves me alone to use my music as I see fit.

I also use it to interface with my iPhone and it works great....

Why don't you like iTunes? Because of the store?

by gioele (gioele(daught)sandler(aaaattttt)gmail(daught)kom) on Thu Oct 9th, 2008 at 02:22:13 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Many moons ago I had an ipod and downloaded itunes to my mac. Aside from the amount of space it takes up when it is running I object to not being allowed to transfer music I have paid for onto new computers, new MP3 players etc because of the coding on music downloaded through itunes. It forces you to stick with apple products. I found an itunes burner and it took weeks bit by bit to transfer my music to MP3.

I don't intend to get an iphone and certainly won't be buying any ipods again or buying music through itunes.

Ad astra per aspera

by In Wales (inwales aaat eurotrib.com) on Thu Oct 9th, 2008 at 02:26:17 PM EST
[ Parent ]

iTunes ate my music library. I will never, ever forgive it for that, or let it anywhere near my music again, except under laboratory conditions.

On the other hand, I did buy an iPhone today. I talked to an editor who was desperate for iPhone tutorials, and for a reasonably decent per-hour I can churn out a few of those, pay off the phone and the contract, and win overall.

I'd still have preferred a Nokia or something else with a real-ish keyboard, but no one wants tutorials for those.

by ThatBritGuy (thatbritguy (at) googlemail.com) on Thu Oct 9th, 2008 at 03:08:25 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Is iPhoto as dangerous as iTunes?

A vivid image of what should exist acts as a surrogate for reality. Pursuit of the image then prevents pursuit of the reality -- John K. Galbraith

by Migeru (migeru at eurotrib dot com) on Thu Oct 9th, 2008 at 03:10:04 PM EST
[ Parent ]

by Colman (colman at eurotrib.com) on Thu Oct 9th, 2008 at 03:18:56 PM EST
[ Parent ]

I haven't spent a lot of time with it, but I don't remember it being obnoxious - photos don't have DRM and you should always be able to do a straight file copy to a different computer/file location if you want to back them up or use a different editor.

The problem with iTunes is that it's designed to lock you into the iTunes filing system. I don't think iPhoto does that - it probably couldn't even if it wanted to, without causing outrage, horror and bad words.

by ThatBritGuy (thatbritguy (at) googlemail.com) on Thu Oct 9th, 2008 at 03:20:24 PM EST
[ Parent ]

I can't answer that, I don't have the comparative data.

But I will say my experience is that once your iPhoto library reaches a certain size (for me, as I remember, it was about 1000 photos, but it may depend on the size of the files created by your camera) you should always be taking regular backups of it, as bad things can happen.

by Metatone (metatone [a|t] gmail (dot) com) on Thu Oct 9th, 2008 at 03:21:56 PM EST
[ Parent ]

i'm almost up to 1000, and so far so good, although it's getting a bit sluggish.

thanks for reminding me to back them up!

i've heard iPhoto horror stories too.

oh yeah, in wales, keep 10G empty on your hard drive, and repair permissions every week or so.(in Disc Utility, in the Applications folder, in the Utilities folder), especially if you have downloaded anything from the net.

OS X needs 10G of free space to operate correctly.

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

by melo (melometa4(at)gmail.com) on Thu Oct 9th, 2008 at 05:04:52 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Seconded. I know several people who overloaded their IPhoto directories, and had constant problems.

On a related note, I refuse to Mac computers, stemming from my basic and complete incompatibility with the Mac interface, a problem I've had since childhood, before Windows had been invented.

I switched from WMP to iTunes a few years ago due to the horrible shuffle system on WMP. When you'd skip a song, it would always go right back to that song after it finished the one you skipped, so I was constantly drug back to a song I didn't want to listen to at that moment. iTunes does not have that problem. All of my music is off CD's and such non-protected sources, so I've really not had the problems that some have reported. I was aware of its drawbacks before I started using it, and have been keen to avoid them.

by Zwackus on Thu Oct 9th, 2008 at 05:47:46 PM EST
[ Parent ]

I never worked out how to plug the ipod in without it automatically synching to the library - which meant that I couldn't move my music collection off itunes to free up space on the HDD because it would have wiped everything from the ipod. Those little things...

My sister managed to lose her entire music collection from itunes too.

Ad astra per aspera

by In Wales (inwales aaat eurotrib.com) on Thu Oct 9th, 2008 at 03:14:38 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Was it iTunes for Windows?

If so, I'd not blame it on the tunes but on BG and his crapware...

;-p

by gioele (gioele(daught)sandler(aaaattttt)gmail(daught)kom) on Thu Oct 9th, 2008 at 03:31:28 PM EST
[ Parent ]