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Tuesday, January 24, 2017

Saving Capitalist Democracy 2, Random Thoughts, and More

Obviously, this next part is a continuation of one of my others posts: 

- just get better at doing things. If counties such as Cuba can deliver good healthcare on limited resources surely more prosperous countries can as well?
- just get on with things. One of the things you'll realise when you look at faster moving/growing countries is that there are lower impediments. People do things rather than talking about doing things (or the ratio just seems to be lower)
- if you can't beat them join them. Create a localised arbitrage situation in the local economy so that others will invest there
- immigration, if jobs are so easy to find elsewhere provide subsidies so that people can move more easily. Same whether you require them or need people to move?
- tourism, export your culture? It's so obvious that the largest countries have access to the biggest advertising billboards out there now (movies and Internet especially when it comes to product placement and driving fads/fashions)
- I think that deep down a lot of people know that the're something wrong at the moment (in spite of what a lot of media actually says?)?
- look elsewhere for ideas (I think everyone has a problem though when we see politicians/public servants who aren't well equipped for their position. I'd rather a system where they are already prepared to do the job when they finally get the job not those who are simply good at navigating a particular social system)?
- in many countries we have people who are forced to have a number of years of life experience, work experience, etc... wonder whether it actually makes a difference in the quality/quantitiy of politicians we get? I wonder whether a former clown in politics would actually make much of a difference?
- look at progressive company tax as Picketty has said previously. Problem is that size can determinen ability to compete in larger markets. May require international co-operation to honestly come up with something viable and realistic. My belief is that a terminal limit on size on company size is required to allow for a genuine balance of power between the private sector and the government and between the group and individual
- one problem with a unipolar world with a universal rule set is that there is no differentiation in the world. If there is no difference anywhere in the world and you don't believe in that particular set of rules then you have no where else to look to. The other problem is that everything is linked. For instance, investors are told to 'diversity' their portfolios and yet we're linking up everything now. If a major component of the system collapses then it's possible that we might not be able to get the thing back up again?
- major events (they have an up and down history depending on the circumstances)
- end party politics completely? Can leads to chaos but as we've seen in China can also result in high growth (when implemented correctly). Dump negative politics (I know that politicians discuss this over and over again but it never really gets anywhere?) completely by changing rules to only allow for positive culture? No longer adversarial setup of parliament/congress. Proxied comments. Blind voting across the board to reduce chances of deals? Streamline process of politics as much as possible. Have a funny feeling some of them may be overloaded at times?
- Quantitative Easing (QE) for the people. Namely, instead of bailing out businesses we bail out individuals. Obvious risk is hyperinflation
- streamline politics. Change structure of parliament so that politics stay on topic/relevant? Code of conduct for media which will help them to back off politicians but still allow them to keep a check/balance on things. For me, it feels like a people's jury is an obvious answer (direct democracy via technology. An idea which has been explored many times). Let the 'pub test' be the actual determinant over how resources are distributed. Apply the same formula to company/business operation as well? Would stop people from spending money improperly before they do it, rather than imposing more rules after they do things improperly?
Big brother is watching UK intelligence spied on Israel – Snowden leak
- what I don't get about the democracy vs populism argument is aren't they supposed to be the same thing?
Keiser Report - Fake News (E1005, ft. Alex Jones from Infowars)
- I've heard it mentioned that democracy isn't written into the US constitution but if you read between the lines and what internatinal treaties, rules and regulations, etc... countries have signed up to it's clear that most have committed to democratic style policies. At times, it feels like people just want to do what they want even if it goes against public opinion which surely contradicts what democracy means?
Keiser Report: Obamacare Helped Trump? (E1003)
- one thing which has surprised me in my research is that most core democratic institutions have lost their credibility? I thought this phenomenon may have been just come from a minority of websites. It isn't. It's global and this is across the board?
trust in legal system global trends
trust in judicial system global trends
trust in media
trust in politics global trends
satisfaction with democracy global trends
satisfaction with democracy global trends
Government and Happiness in 130 Nations: Good Governance Fosters Higher Level and More Equality of Happiness
trust in government global trends
happiness with democracy
happiness index by country
patriotism index by country
- one of the things you'll realise about the US economy how much it is built on hope, hype, strength (last empire standing), etc... They basically came out well after the World Wars. They then used this strengh to build a happy population but ever since that point they've lost ground (relatively) to the rest of the world. Fundamentally, thought much of their economy is now built on building bubble after bubble. In the 30s it was the stock market, 40 to 60s it was defense, 80s it was Gold, in the 90s it was the Tech Bubble, then there real estate which led to the 2008/2009 GFC, there are people who are arguing that there is a stock market bubble now, etc... The oroblem with 'false hope' is that if you use it too much you may not end up realising their may be a problem with your system
- allow for organised labour (up to a point). Organised labour tender tends to result in higher pay. Lower and middle income earners have increased pay while the gap to the top is reduced. If you can keep the balance of power between employer and employee relatively fair then it should make for a better system?
do unions lead to changed pay
- seek alternate methods for business ownership. If businesses are forming a larger and larger proportion of the economy the one of the obvious ways to overcome the equality gap is to give ownership to employees. Think of some of the largest companies in the world such as Google, Microsoft, Apple, etc... All of a sudden the wealth disparity disappears, the ability to retain enough capital is retained in order to invest into new projects, if voting rights came along with the share ownership, then their is an increased feeling of inclusion and democracy... Would do little to deal with the issue of existing wealth disparity at top though?
business percentage of gdp by country
- the argument that liberal capitalist democracy is the 'final solution' and the greatest social system holds no water. The people who have risen up are supposedly the best we have to offer? If these people can't do it, then it's the fault of the system not these people?
- if you read between the lines it's obvious what may have happened? Politicians have become weakened, corporates have too much power, their is an actual shadow government in a lot of economies now, etc... Somehow the balance of power needs to be shifted back
- more ideas for multiplier projects; take roads above buildings, city/suburban hub idea makes sense, bridges, level crossing clearing/subways, high speed/higher frequency public transportation (especially in areas which are distant), general streamlining of life, multi-layer roads, flying public transport and flying cars (we have the technology already. This will reduce road congestion drastically if done well. Reduces infrastructure upgrades costs as well), single or dual seat cars (to reduce fuel consumption and reduce congestion), etc...
- pre-fab housing from low cost areas (as long as currency conditions remain favourable)? Buy and sub-divide properties. This is particularly pertinent with regards to people who are assett rich and cash/risk poor. If the government provides incentives to sub-divide and sell off part of the property for revelopment there could be interesting possibilities. Pre-fab also allows for children to potentially build a house quickly and cheaply for themselves in cases where family is cash poor but land rich? People who say to pop the housing bubble don't really get part of the problem? Housing is critical to economy. If no increase in housing prices, no investment or building which means reduction in housing which creates shortages, possible deflation, etc... Anyone who has been through a recession/depression (especially one's we 'have to have') will know about this...
Keiser Report - Jobs, Jobs, Jobs! (E1012)
property ownership trend global
- the irony with some of the above projects is that they feel relatively low risk?
- mandatory public service for everyone for a small period of their life for minimum wage. Doesn't matter what capacity, cleaning, administration, building, cooking, aged care, defense, intelligence, etc... Helps to keep government budget in check while also helping to bind everyone better
- new world order? Multiple times, we've changed the currency pegging/valuations to get better balance of trade deals, etc... Bretton Woods, Plaza Accord, etc...
- trade wars. For people who aren't in the know the one of the new appointees to the US administration is Peter Navarro (who seems to be roughly in line with Trump's views on economics). Basically, what a lot of people are worried about is that by reducing or stopping free trade it will reduce or completely halt global economic growth. We will see...
Peter Navarro Discusses Trump's Economic Policies
Death By China - How America Lost Its Manufacturing Base (Official Version)
@fordschool - Peter Navarro & Phil Potter - US-China Relations - Cooperation or Conflict
RED SCARE - A look inside China with expert Peter Navarro
STEVE QUAYLE & PETER NAVARRO TRUNEWS RADIO
The Coming China Wars - Where They will be Fought, How They can be Won
The Re-invention of China's Economy
Weekend Edition with Peter Navarro
- have no idea what's driving some people towards 'globalism' but it's clear that this framework isn't working so why do we seem to be pushing ahead with it? It's obvious that fit the current policies don't work we'll just push hard left and right like Europe. What happens after that point is anyone's guess?
Global Empire - Fighting Back - Pilger Unleashed Part 1
Global Empire - Fighting Back - Pilger Unleashed Part 2
- maintain strategic industries such as agriculture, manufacturing, science and technology, defense, etc... Have alternatives in case of external problems (no matter who causes the problems) at all times (a lot of countries already do this if they can)
The Stream - Austerity measures fuel discontent in Sudan
- code of conduct for politicians so that they don't over promise, underdeliver. They must deliver on certain core promises?
- maintain strength of local resources by maintaining ecosystems, biosystems, etc...
- de-politicise decision making. At the moment, certain 'tipping points' are required in order to trigger certain decision making. In order to reduce the chances of this happening change the constitution to automatically trigger certain decision/policy making debates/decisions. Reduces the chances of problems. This helps to maintain balance between between worker/savers and borrowers/speculators, power of people versus politicians, special interest groups, lobbies, etc... That said, (as has been seen in Europe) technocrats have their limits (though these decisions have admittedly been under significant pressure and with sometimes limited knowledge)
- socialisation of political funding (technically already in place in some countries). Reduces impact of money in politics, shadow government, etc...
- increased transparency. It feels like national security argument is being abused across the board now. If you spend enough time watching things it's a complete mystery
The fight for transparency - Democracy put to the test
- it's obvious what they're doing. They're just going with the flow. Since power and wealth has shifted over to an overwhelmingly small proportion of society, the US model will become the model for all of this. Smaller government with private enterprise taking care of most of their employees needs (such as health care, insurance, etc...)
- I think everybody believes in the fundamental idea of democratic capitalism. Problem is the implementation. It's difficult to know whether it's better or worse because of a lot of people don't have the chance to live under different systems. When a lot of people speak of the fighting for values idea I know that a lot of the public just don't know what is being spoken about? What was fought over in the past has also faded into irrelevance for the most part (except for those who do this now for a living)
- foreign investment (public or private)
- joint investment projects (state or private)
- land giveaways (especially to poor who then renovate and then take a share of whatever profit they can get when they sell on). This may particularly be pertinent to to refugees or unemployed people who have no other way out of their circumstances? In the context of Australia it potentially means cheap labour to exploit the northern regions of the country?
- greater marketing of government subsidies, bonuses, tax breaks, etc... a lot of people don't seem to be aware of the options available to them to help them get out of their circumstances?
- people don't seem to be 'economically literate' it seems. For instance, starting your own company by taking advantage of cheap labour visas when available, taking advantage of good market conditions, etc...
- target core areas. Core spending habits for most people are food, transportation, housing, clothing, health... Given the relative sucess of Cuba in healthcare and North Korea in housing in spite of sanctions I find it difficult to believe that people couldn't do better in the US/West given a little bit of thought?
Community Doctors _ Official Documentary (2016) ELAM - Cuba's Latin American School of Medicine 
- longer hours, shorter hours, creative hours, etc... For instance, people working to different hours to allow for access to larger overseas markets
- extend working age (down or up)
- expand/reduce free trade unions/currency/financial unions?
eurasian union
Eurasian Economic Union considering Thailand’s free trade zone application
Eurasian Economic Union, Singapore may sign free trade deal in 2017
Belarusian senators to focus on harmonizing Eurasian Economic Union legislation
Turkey decides to join Eurasion Union
Uzbekistan won't join Eurasian Economic Union now – report
- if you assume that democracy is working perfectly then is the reason why people are getting progressively unhappy is a case of pure money? It's not, democracy works up until a point. What's interesting for me (look in the point that looks at happiness index) is that democracy and happiness aren't necessarily directly correlated. In fact, it seems as though people value rule of law, prosperity, peace, etc... more than they value democracy necessarily. 
- one of the great ironies is that is that the end of the Cold War the US/West assumed that 'was it'. 'Liberal Democracy' was simply better and nothing would change after that. Clearly, things are changing. I think the Chinese/Russians learned that clinging to pure ideology doesn't necessarily work. I'm not so sure the US/West has? If it comes down to it, if a politician has to be choose between the happiness of his peope and 'a system' I think they should favour the former?
- it's easy to see why some 'intellectuals' got themselves into trouble with the so called 'elite' in the past. Basically, they've tried to figure out how to get a job or make some money. Then they've examined how the local social system works and they figure out that a lot of the time it simply involves 'shenanigans'. It also explains some of what I see in foreign media. I can not explain why certain intellectuals made the jump between traditionally less than amicable countries. They can't get a job (or speak their mind) in the local system so they simply jump ship
- our economics dooms itself because general differentiation where peope want to pay significantly more for your solution is difficult to achieve. Moreover, the free flowing nature of 'free market valuation and capitalism' means that may end up creating arbitrate situations that are too difficult to genuinely sustain an socio-economic system
- it's easy to see why things look more difficult then now then in the past. After the World Wars, Cold War, etc... it was clear that the US/West came out ahead because they were less directly involved. The decisions are becoming more complex because spreads and growth is reducing. Basically, what's happening is to give everyone one a chance. Fluidity/money velocity means that transfers are occurring. However, investment decisions are often predicated upon past decisions. That's fundamentally the basis for a lot of modern investment decisions. However, the actual number of opportunities out there are limited which means that you either get their first or you have to leverage up in order to gain a profit that is worth going after. The irony is that the more people do this the more likely it distorts the economic system which means that 'true prophets' are required. Since, most of us aren't this ultimately results in a crash. There is no way around this. The only genuine way around this is to find 'true prophets'. Without 'true prophets' markets will forever be distorted and they will always crash with regularity (even with the magnitude of social engineering in existence). At present, we deal with it via debt jubilees, bankruptcy protection/laws, etc... but it will never allow you to achieve perennial/infinite growth. The future rhymes with the past, it doesn't replicate it
President Franklin D. Roosevelt:
How long is America going to pretend, that the world is not at war? From Berlin, Rome and Tokyo, were have been described as a nation of weaklings and playboys who hire British or Russian, or Chinese soldiers, to do our fighting for us. We've been trained to think we're invincible, and our people think Hitler and his Nazi thugs are Europe's problem. We have to do more. Does anyone think that victory is possible without facing danger? At times like these we all need to be reminded who we truely are. That we will not give up. That we will not give in.
Pearl Harbor [2001]
Pearl Harbor (2001) Quotes
- that said, it's clear that others have never really trusted some of the countries who started previous conflicts to not do so again
A short history of German reunification _ GIER _ Documentaries
Maidan dreaming - Kyiv’s move towards Europe _ Documentaries
- austerity/stimulus. Changes in minimum/maximum wage
- if you look into the background of many of those who talking particular markets/countries down they'll often have taken a side bet against it
- changed tax regime
- there are those who are advocating economic collapse in order to achieve re-stabilisation of their respective economies. The irony is that this can be counter-productive. Examination of some previous economic collapses indicates that they result in greater inequality. This actually makes sense since those at bottom have less savings to live off of they ultimatley become more and more distressed while those at the top maintain their way of life and can effectively wait things out while financial markets recover. Moreover, if you aware of how the financial system works then this actually makes a lot of sense. The wealthy can afford to pay people or have the time to keep an eye on markets, they often have greater access for financial instruments that can be designed to take advantage of such circumstances, etc... The only way a revolution ever works out is if it's a 'proper revolution' (they go all the way)?
Keiser Report - 'WW3 will make us all rich' (E191)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KaU3wX6N1Tc
‘We will rise up!’ US outlet compares anti-Trump protests to Arab Spring
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z2K696wtPgQ
QE only takes more money from poor to give to rich
change in wealth during economic crisis
The Effect of the Economic Crisis on American Households
Wealth Disparities before and after the Great Recession
- dump the idea of government altogether and let the corporates run things? It's clear we're headed down the road towards corporatism anyhow (whether we like it or not). As stated in previous post need to reach a tipping point for this to happen. Fundamentally, don't see any difference between that and the single party style of thought that you see in China?
Eric X. Li - A tale of two political systems
Democracy is Failing _ Eric X Li _ Oxford Union
http://www.npr.org/sections/parallels/2016/12/11/504478025/the-u-s-and-china-two-centuries-of-infatuation-and-disappointment
- get better at hybrid warfare. There are aspects of the Chinese economy such as shadow banking which makes it more difficult to attack attack in the context of hybrid or economic warfare
China Tries to Rein In 'Barbarian Growth' of Shadow Banking
Chinese Workers' Salaries Fail to Keep Pace with GDP Growth, Study Finds
- clear that Chinese aren't sitting on their laurels. They don't believe entirely in the version of capitalism that is currently in existence. Examine some of their people and it soon becomes obvious that their is a lot of genuine navel gazing. They are looking to see whether they can come up with something better. Balance of power is key thing in socio-economic systems. That's what seems to make people happy. Problem at the moment is that while democracy allows people to have a voice either politicians can't deliver on those promises or they won't deliver on them? It's clear that the Chinese system has advantages. The problem is that those who are less gifted or hard working are less likely to have a chance to progress. If it is a more genuine form of meritocracy (as Eric X. Li seems to imply) then the problem is that not everyone will be able to necessarily move up (which may not be everyone's genuine idea of what a good society should be like). What seems extremely clear is that a lot of people are very naive about what is happening inside of China, that just because it's a single party they aren't necessarily slow or inflexible
Editorial: Look to Modern Economic Theories for Ways to Deepen Reform
Will Slow and Steady Win China's Economy Race?
Xi stresses integrating law, virtue in state governance
The rising cult of China experts
The Sino-American comedy of errors
- the poor can get richer but it's more difficult. They have to understand the all of the system that has been setup before they can genuinely change things. For instance, I recently heard local politicians arguing that rising house prices were a good thing in spite of a lot of people being increasingly locked out. The only real way for the poor to get by is to examine the system and then take bigger bets. For instance, a couple may have to take our mortgages on multiple properties in order and 'flip them' be to be able to eventually purchase one (good in theory as long as house prices continue to rise but could lead to enormous trouble if the market turns downwards). Ironically, this will clearly also cause prices to rise even further making the problem even worse?
Best Return on Investment You've Had
- the way the world works and the way many modern economies (such as in the EU, US, China) are structured makes sense if you think about it. Namely, low taxes, low interest rates, big finance sector, big marketing and sales sector, classic industries, new age industries, etc... 
percentage by gdp by country
conversion rate advertising
spending on marketing by country
finance sector size by country
- turn junk into something useful as much as possible. Sewerage and rubbish are good examples of this. They can be used to create energy, fertiliser, etc...
- satisfaction levels are really wierd across the board as stated in previous. But honestly, I don't think it's inclusiveness that people want. They just want what they want and don't care about the system
- stop the policy of containment. A lot has been said of countries like Russia whose economies seem all over the place. When you look deeper it doesn't feel right though. They have highly educated societies, low poverty, low debt, etc... It feels like they could make a greater contribution to the global economy. Would be curious just how much more economic headroom the world would have if we abandoned all forms of hybrid and economic warfare? At times, it feels like the US/West just wants to run the world because they want to even if it results in worse performance for the overall group?
russia technology industry
- stop being horrible to one another? Apparently, there are is a lot of productivity that is lost basically because people are being overly horrible to one another?
bully economic growth
bullying and economic growth
- with most social systems the idea is often good and the implementation horrible
- asset sales
Keiser Report - Putin, Hacking & Conspiracy (E1008)
- change 'the establishment'. If the ideas that are in place aren't currently working we simply change
economics podcasts
- the current situation with China reminds me a bit of the leadup to the Opium War. Feels a bit different now though. Chinese tourists among highest spending in world when going overseas. Capital flight out of China at the moment is different. Also, institutions like AIIB, RCEP trade agreement, etc... gives the whole thing a bit of a different look. The money seems to be flowing to China's allies and friends rather then the existing US/Western establishment...
- it's obvious how neo-liberalism works. Free flow of capital and greater access to overseas markets means it shifts money to the rich/companies who then provide employment. However, if they don't actually trickle downwards then in theory it will make no sense?
- at the moment it feels like we're creating socio-economic models and then fitting people into them? I'm curious about whether we should be going backwards? Figuring out what the people are like and then creating models to suit them? Most modern governments clearly have more than enough data to help them achieve this?
Donald Trump vows 'consequences' for companies leaving US
best idea wins
Referendum adds to Italian banks' woes
- if your neighbour's debt load is relatively low shift part of your work force over there (by de-facto creating a union of sorts)
- some interesting debates regarding various social systems. Think a lot of people neglect to mention that capital buildup is required for more ambitious/interesting projects and companies though. Occupy movement has some interesting ideas (particularly regarding homeless people take over abandoned building, renovating them, and on-selling or renting them out on behalf of government). They dont' seem to understand that without largish finance sector fast growth may be diminished? 
Keiser Report - Ponzi Lottery (E425)
Keiser Report - Petrodollar vs Petroyuan (E587)
Keiser Report - Bliss of Ignorance (E588)
- funny fact, in popular democracies our politicians, lawyers, journalists, etc... are among the least popular/respected. Guess part of the reason politicians are paid a bit more than average is to put up with the public?
most respected occupations
- conversion of education into entrepreneurialism. At present people are trained in a field and then they use this in order to find an employer or else figure out how to start a business of their own. I mean, they're effectively rigging the system in favour of speculators/company owners (via ZIRP, NIRP, etc...) anyhow rather than workers/savers. This is a logical step? Give people the confidence to start their own business. That seems to be where most growth comes from in a lot of economies. Microloans which will help investigate whether a business is viable before pushing on . Help kids with how to start businesses in high school. Libraries/community centres have heaps of business transition centres (already being done). Help citizens to become financially situationally aware so that they can take advantage of financial circumstances/arbitrage situations elsewhere
- double down and keep on creating new instruments to bet on? (since uncertainty is required in order to generate abnormal returns). Complete homogenity isn't going to give us that
- regardless of what you may think of the current state of the affairs most of the empires that have existed up until this point have not been able to 'scale upwards'. Look at the UK, US, USSR empires and it's clear that once a core element/country was weakened the likelihood of the collapse of the entire system was much greater. The fundamental problem to core to each empire has been that they couldn't create enough for themselves internally and were heavily reliant on others which ultimately led to their own collapse?
Armenia Nixes Pakistan’s Ties With CSTO
Africa must act now if it is to feed itself in 2050 - scientists
- like the US/West has rigged things in their favour in the past clear that Russia/China will attempt to do the same if things work in their favour (though I'm not entirely certain how rigged things are now and how rigged they may be in future?). By favouring nationalism and fundamental economics (based on natural resources and expansion into the North Pole) Russia will by default once more become a global superpower?
Central Bankers suppressing Russian economy
Keiser Report - Wealth & Wage Extinction (E389)
London Riots are Revolutionary Alex Jones Guest  Max Keiser   ez
State of the Chinese Economy
- hmmm... one of the strange recurring themes is that any one person (or group of people) takes over the world and we have global peace? Been there for thousands of years apparently?
- one of the interesting things for me is in the construction of any social system how do you deal with the fairness issue? Realistically, the only way to achieve this is via randomness? In the context of capitalism, this is required for a number of reasons, we require capital buildup to do things of substantive size. Realistically, the number who can achieve this is often smaller then the number who can't. Over time, the group becomes dependent on this small group for employment. However, it also means that it takes resources from the overall group which results in periodic bankruptcy because at a certain point you can't expand any further. Genuine randomisation of debt jubilees and other mechanisms is the only way to re-establish balance and equilibrium
Keiser Report - Trumptopia (E1019)
Keiser Report - 'We are all in Trump world now' (E1010)
- don't do what the as others say, do exactly as they do...
Rick Carver: Don't be soft. Do you think America give a flying rats ass about you or me? America doesn't bail out the losers. America was built by bailing out winners. By rigging a nation of the winners, for the winners, by the winners. 
- it feels like the rules are stacked in favour of those who are already wealthy or have power. Hence, people favour people who are willing to break the rules now? We need to fix 'the system'?
- take load off of local economy? Encourage older people to retire elsewhere? Who knows, their dollar may go further elsewhere?
- if you can't grow out get stuff cheaper from elsewhere
- crowdsource solutions (particularly in difficult areas). It effectively reduces risk in a capitalist architecture
- create more markets and financial instruments to bet on (as many markets as possible to reduce chances of market distortion but enough to make price discovery more dificult). After all, mumbo jumbo/speculation is the quickest way of 'creating value'
Keiser Report - Pax Americana Pyramid Nightmare (E189)
- switch to a pure (or more hybrid cardinal/ordinal) ordinal monetary system? The reason for this is that our socio-economic systems are based primarily around creating a hierarchy based on our perceived value within society. After, all if you look at most financial systems at the moment we're basically looking for a mechanism to differentiate ourselves but the primary problem is the management of the monetary system. If we make it purely ordinal the need to manage inflation/deflation and other mechanisms dissappears which means that the possibility for any kind of financial apocalypse also disappears...  note the following from a previous post of mine (the fight for equality is sort of self defeating in a way. By grading us early in life it actually manages our expectations of life. This actually makes sense in a way if there were a direct correlation between hard work, talent, results, etc... and final outcomes in life? There's a obvious side effect of the inequality issue. Let's say everyone has the ability to access to access goods and services (perfect income equality with Gini Coefficient of 1). How do you achieve while this minimising shortages? You can't. We need a mechanism to grade one another even if it is unfair... If we can overcome the shortage problem then we can satisfy everyone (at which point we can realistically give everyone a fair chance). The only problem is dealing with the lust for power, greed, gluttony, etc... At that point fairness and more equitable distribution of wealth is possible?, http://dtbnguyen.blogspot.com/2016/11/saving-capitalist-democracy-random.html). Obvious flaw with this is how to achieve a ranking mechanism and how would it integrate into local vs regional vs global environment?
- I think part of the reason why we still allow for such an unfair system is that deep down a lot of people don't really want to have to compete people who may be smarter or work harder then a lot of others. They want to have a chance to cheat, steal, lie, manipulate, be lazy, etc... on their way to success? Otherwise, things would make more sense and you wouldn't see heaps of people doing strange jobs?
http://www.truth-out.org/opinion/item/16718-cooperative-economics-replacing-a-capitalism-in-collapse
- one thing that has been said is that the West has become complacent. If you think of politicians are the parents, the population as the citizens, etc... then basically one thing is readily apparent. It's easier to look after well behaved, hard working kids then lazy ones. Could it be that the group just needs to work push a bit harder or are they already at their limit?
- one of the funniest things about the transition from feudalism to capitalism is that it used to be that you had to force the slaves to work for you (feudalism). Now, people are desperate to find someone to 'enslave them'?
- re-look at some of our core statistics and metrics. For instance, if you look at the definition of Gini-Coefficient society things look relatively fair until you look at the upper end and you realise part of it is just. If our basic metrics aren't quite right so will our plan to create a 'better future' for ourselves?
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gini_coefficient
The top 10% of highest paid workers in Europe together earn almost as much as the bottom 50%
- how much of the economy is illegal by necessity? For instace, cash economy, pirated software, movies, music, etc... only exist because it's sometimes impossible for people to make a living in the real world. In reality, it makes social mobility impossible if we cut all of these off for people because people can't make money if no one gives them a chance where opportunities seem to be becoming more scarce (through economic consolidation). As we saw in previous post most of our genuine abnormally large growth occurs in the SME sector not in the large capitalisation area. A complete and total crack down may actually be self-defeating?
- clear that people will try to build an alternate/parallel socio-economic system if the government cracks down on the cash economy? Makes sense if the current system doesn't work in their favour. Guess it's like the difference between the black, white, and gray economy? and some of what has been experienced over history. People have to 'make a living somehow'? Easy to see how this could work from a computing perspective. Long range wireless Internet built off of existing (or modified) protocols using blockchain and cryptocurrency as a mechanism of exchange
- social contract/constitional change to ensure that only policies that are relevant will be enacted/looked at? Obviously, minority groups could suffer as a consequence but it will ensure that overall people will generally be happier?
- more/less secret deals and corruption
- it feels obvious to me that there are plenty of ways we can grow out economy if we want to take out more debt/stimulus? It just needs a little bit of courage on the part of our politicians (unless there is something I don't know about)?
- let the world blow up (deliberately cause a financial crash)? For those who think going straight down is the best way think about the US TARP program and the previous Great Depression. Heaps of banks were lost, trouble caused, and many years of economic growth but it did ultimately result in growth
- one thing that is interesting for me is that if you think about money (fiat money in particular) we're just exchanging arbitrary objects for one another until we get what we need. Since, social mobility, wealth disparity, etc... haven't changed over thousands of years not much has really changed (despite heaps changing)?
- note that each social system that we've progressed along has gradually pushed power back to the group as opposed to individuals; monarchy, to feudalism, to capitalism/communism/socialism, etc...
- deliberately engage in sovereign defaults (to reduce debt load and hopefully regain growth). Highly risky, especially if borrowing costs rocket upwards afterwards
- a lot of trading volume is algorithmic now. So trade on what you know and literally deceive the algorithms to create make some money to feed the rest of your economy
- diplomacy, statecraft, covert operations to create favourable conditions elsewhere
- US/Western style usury banking allows for greater growth but the irony is that religious and Sharia compatible banks make for a safer financial sector
- efficiency. Maximise everything that you can get for free from nature/ex-nihilo and what I call 'passive science'
UN agency urges investing in agriculture science and technology to achieve 2030 ‘zero hunger’ target
- bottom up management of the economy. Instead of relying on the government to setup regulations to control market power information is pushed back on the consumer to help them regulate the market bottom up by purchasing only from companies that are being run in the way that they want?
- staggered regulation (to a certain extent we do this already by varying business structures). Less for smaller (who can't afford it) and more for larger? Most growth occurs in the bottom to middle end anyhow. This will help it
- one of the shocks for me is that in spite of what seems to be drastically different social systems satisfication levels seem to be relatively stable across the board. Basically, the only difference is the balance of power between the individual and the collective. What's also clear to me, is that they are resorting to some pretty desperate stuff (if you know how to read between the lines) to deal with their economic problems a the moment
- if we think of money as the 'blood' of an economy then it's clear that if there is too much of it it can lead to systemic deformation (if you know about financial trading then this will make sense. Bet too much money on a particular circumstance and it can lead to market distortion). Too much money in the system and it can lead to flaws, too little and the same thing happens (inflation vs deflation)
- I didn't realise until recently how easy it is to bias an election. If things aren't going well utter the magical words 'anti-establishment'. If they are going well utter the magical words 'conservatism'
- what seems obvious over many thousands of years is that we aren't all that different. Eugenics, achievements, intelligence, etc... don't really work. Basically, what happens though is that we come up with an ideology. We train kids in that ideology and then they grow up and practice that ideology (formal education). It means that they are good at that but since their perspective is limited it makes jumps in knowledge and wisdom difficult from time to time
- it seems clear that some people have gone to a different level. They will work no matter what and don't require co-ercian and may be under-utilised in their existing job. If that's the case a corporate job may actually be reduce the chances of them maximising their potential. Give them a chance by providing free money to start a business?
The Time For A Living Wage Is NOW!
- never let them grow too large which could lead to systemic issues. We currently deal with this via progressive taxation, anti-monopoly laws, competition rule and regulation, etc...
- reduce/increase automation
- don't get into crazy wars. If you have to get into war have a quick way out of it and a way of getting what you want 
- given the exceptionally high level of inequality in some economies find a way to achieve internal re-distribution of wealth
- have defensive measures in place. Don't overexpose economy by allowing large companies in without adequate protection. Protect critical industries such as agriculture, hospitality, transport, health, education, finance, defense, medicine, etc... Allow for backup and redundancy so that the 'free market' never ends up controlling your economy but you gain the best of what it has to offer
- manage the economy slightly? Greater central management may be more efficient?
Keiser Report - ‘Foreigners Dumping US Treasurys’ (E1009)
people who want to be business owners
- one of the surprising things for me that originally corporatism had a very different origin. It was almost a hybrid anarchist-democratic format (you get to choose everything with regards to public services, private services, corporations only lasted a small amount of time, etc...)? Thereafter, the 14th amendment went into place and things got really out of shape?

Random Stuff:
- some really neat architecture out there
- most bizarre episode I've ever seen? The funny stuff starts at around 9:10
CrossTalk: Obama's Exit
- weather in the Middle East is really weird
- interesting music from the Middle East
- with regards to the voting booths what's with all the conflicting messages? Either they can be hacked or they can't. Can't be both (look at what we've been hearing in the media before and after the US election. Completely different?)? 
- looks like the Turks are making progress on their 5th Gen fighter project after all...
F-16 Özgür
- slowly making progress...
- feels like the centre of the world is slowly shifting towards Asia now
- this is my news feed which I recently created, http://individurls.com/myfeeds/dtbnguyen/ Covers most of the world and from multiple perspectives. Will add more stuff over time. Certain types of feeds aren't supported. Bugs every once in a while (I didn't build it). I deal with it by re-ordering feeds which seems to work. Helps to deal with media intensive (bandwidth/load time issues) websites as well
feed aggregator
feedreader review
- this doesn't sound bad?
Rage rooms a smashing way to relieve stress in Russia
- virgin births aren't that rare?
- I wonder much of a difference the radiation actually makes on solar power generation? Didn't realise the contamination was so wide spread
- open source science?
- diabolical the amount of fake stuff out there now 
- space travel is tough if you don't already know
- does this seem crazy risky (with regards to security) to you?
- humans are like lemmings in some ways...
- looks pretty huh? 
- I've been doing more work on algorithmic composition. This script has proven useful
Reverse MIDI Files tool
reverse midi?
- I fail to see how there couldn't be a market for this? Someone could make a heap of money
- wonder what the fishing is like at that depth?
- more algorithmic music stuff. Relies on Tensorflow AI backend

Random Quotes:
- Free cash from the skies won’t boost growth but free shopping vouchers might, said Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development Chief Economist Catherine Mann.
“Helicopter money by itself isn’t going to be any more effective at gaining economic growth than what the central banks have been doing already,” Mann told Francine Lacqua and Tom Keene on Bloomberg TV. As a saver, “you’re just going to take the helicopter money and put it in your mattress -- where you’ve been keeping the rest of it,” she said. “Now, helicopter shopping coupons: we could talk about that, where you actually have to go spend the money.”
- Chris Berg writes that no major party has been arguing in support of free trade, foreign investment and market competition ("Don't bag populism", Opinion, 10/7). He is concerned that politicians have instead pandered to the increasing dissatisfaction with such economic forces and globalisation in general. 

Berg must have missed the memo explaining that increasing numbers of people are rejecting the propaganda of the benefits of globalisation, the free market and trickle-down economics. Why? Because for all of the lovely big figures in the pronouncements about how much better off we might be, the people are in fact experiencing something completely different. These include: increasing job insecurity as we export and import labour to the lowest bidder; unaffordable housing and tertiary education resulting in nose-bleeding debt; lowering living standards as wages stagnate in a country with a high cost of living country; and an ever growing wealth gap. 

The promise is not matching the lived experience and people are starting to call out those who continue to push the insanity of trying the same failed economic approach over and over again.  
- With strong links to both China and the US, Australia needs to think hard about how it reacts to China's claims in the South China Sea. Following America into Iraq has not served our interests and has caused chaos in the Middle East. With the Vietnam war, Malcolm Fraser was furious when he found out Australia was asked to send troops after the CIA had determined it was an unwinnable conflict. 

Independent strategic analysis and diplomatic expertise is now essential. Blindly following the US has not worked. It is time we emulated another US ally, New Zealand, and acted in our own interest.  
- "When you meet people in the street and they say 'I don't want privatisation because it boosts prices' and you dismiss them ... recent examples suggest they're right," he told the room of influential economic and policy experts. 

"The excessive spend on electric poles and wires has damaged our productivity. The higher energy price we're getting from some poor gas and electricity policies are damaging some of our productive sectors."

Mr Sims said he was growing "exasperated" as governments including the Commonwealth became more explicit in trying to maximise proceeds from asset sales.  

"I think a sharp uppercut is necessary and that's why I'm saying: stop the privatisation," he said.

Mr Sims also used the forum to continue a public stoush with opponents of a proposed "effects test", saying they were relying on "bogus" arguments against the Harper review proposal to give the ACCC powers to block action that had the purpose or effect of substantially lessening competition. 

The Productivity Commission last week joined the Business Council of Australia, the federal Labor opposition and the supermarket giants in opposing the so-called "effects test", which is a pet policy of National Party MPs including Deputy Prime Minister Barnaby Joyce.
- The Russians have not said much about the Leader-class’ propulsion system—but the vessel is expected to be nuclear powered and will likely reach speeds well in excess of 30 knots. It would also likely be able to remain at sea for up to 90 days without support. Late last year, the U.S. Navy’s Office of Naval Intelligence suggested that the Russians would build a dozen of the new warships.

“Depending on propulsion type, the design could be a 8,000 to 18,000 ton ship combining both destroyer and cruiser characteristics with robust air, surface, and submarine warfare, as well as anti-missile defense capabilities. Russia reportedly intends to build six such ships for both the Northern and Pacific fleets (12 total),” reads an ONI report on the Russian Navy. “The lead unit is not likely to be built earlier than the mid-2020s. Press reports have mentioned that the propulsion for this class, whether conventional gas turbine or nuclear, is not yet determined. The resolution may depend on decisions yet to be made regarding a new aircraft carrier which, if built, is likely to be nuclear-powered.”

Assuming that Russia can build the Leader-class given its current economic situation, the massive new warships would outgun the largest surface combatants in the U.S. Navy’s fleet—carrying roughly double an Arleigh Burke-class destroyer’s missile tubes. Moreover, the Leader-class’ nuclear propulsion system would allow the enormous new warships the ability to sortie around the globe without the need for auxiliary refuelers or any requirement to make a port call. That would afford Moscow a potent power projection tool that’s just short of a carrier strike group.
- Historically, the IRGC and Artesh have not had the best of relationships. Formed in 1979 by the clerical elite to defend the nascent Islamic Republic, the IRGC is very much a manifestation of the revolution and subsequent war with Iraq: a collection of men and boys who just a few years prior might have been toiling on the fields or languishing in the shah’s jails, now collectively commanding a force of hundreds of thousands of ideologically committed fighters in a hugely destructive and bloody war. To this day, the IRGC shuns classical military doctrine, instead developing a brand of asymmetrical warfare entirely its own, based on popular mobilization and revolutionary ideals. Its operatives make great efforts to disassociate themselves from the bells and whistles of traditional military ceremony, preferring unshaven beards and loose-fitting, bland clothing to demonstrate their piety and rejection of the (Western) material world.

The Artesh, on the other hand, was left reeling by the revolution. A remnant of the ancien régime, the organization was viewed with deep suspicion by the clerical elite, who purged it of its best commanders and cut it off from its main beneficiary, the United States. The Artesh only played a peripheral role in the war with Iraq, denying it the ability to build a legacy to match that of the IRGC. To this day, the Artesh is nominally responsible for Iran’s domestic security, but it is the IRGC that patrols the borders, manages the ports, and oversees the vast popular mobilization groups and intelligence apparatus that keep the country under tight control.
- If the Israeli company indeed breached the much-vaunted encryption of Telegram’s communication channels, it would be the second known hack of its kind in a week.

Earlier this week, Reuters reported that a group believed to be backed by Iran’s Revolutionary Guards Corps hacked into Telegram accounts in Iran.

Arvatz said that earlier this week a member of the group uploaded a list of American air bases in the Persian Gulf and around the globe that could be potential targets. A map uploaded to the Telegram group pinpoints air force bases in the United States, Canada, United Kingdom and other countries of Western Europe, as well as Israeli air force bases.

Among the high priority targets were air bases in Bahrain and Kuwait being used by the American-led coalition to strike Islamic State targets in Syria and Iraq.
- At 86 years old, Dr. Vorobiev still stands more than six feet tall. Before finishing medical school in St. Petersburg, then known as Leningrad, he played for the Soviet Development Basketball Team in the 1950s, choosing not to pursue a professional athletic career because he thought it unstable. He was coached, he noted proudly, by the man who later led the Soviet Union to an upset victory over the United States at the 1972 Olympics.

His career in Russian sports medicine lasted through the 1990s. In deteriorating health, Dr. Vorobiev left Moscow five years ago for Chicago, where his son and grandchildren live.

Over two days of interviews there, in an assisted-living complex with Russian-language newspapers lying around the lobby, Dr. Vorobiev wore a blue Soviet tracksuit with “CCCP” on the back as he recounted his career. He spoke at the encouragement of his son, who had accompanied him to the hospital in recent weeks and said he wanted his father’s life documented in light of the recent doping revelations.

Dr. Vorobiev, speaking Russian that was translated by his son, recalled some details more vividly than others, relying on journals, documents and black-and-white photographs of athletes in motion to trigger memories dating to 1959, when he was hired as one of the Soviet Union’s first full-time sports doctors. He specialized in improving coordination, strength and flexibility among elite athletes, with expertise in foot injuries.

With little emotion, he described a system in which winning at any cost without getting caught was paramount. He projected loyalty to his country while plainly wrestling with contradictions: As a member of the medical commission of track and field’s global governing body, he policed doping at international competitions while knowing that many of Russia’s top athletes were using banned substances.
- So, for the moment, everyone is behaving in a very Asian “win-win” way, with no loss of face involved. And yet, in parallel, there’s been speculation that Beijing has identified a unique widow of opportunity between the G-20 in Huangzhou, next month, and the US presidential election in early November, to come up with extra “facts on the sea” in the form of added reclamation and building of naval installations.

What Beijing wants in the long term is clear. Scarborough shoal in particular is a key piece in the larger puzzle. A Chinese airstrip is all but inevitable because it extends the reach of the PLA’s air force by over 1,000km, and positions it to be active off Luzon, no less than the gateway to the Western Pacific.

With the airstrip in Scarborough shoal and an early warning system on Macclesfield Bank - just east of the Paracel Islands – Beijing will be finally able to “see” all the action, friendly but mostly unfriendly, emanating from the sprawling US naval base at Guam.
- In the court filing, LinkedIn says it has the IP addresses of various attackers and is trying to use the case to make Internet providers give up their identities. In the absence of knowledge of the attackers' identities, the lawsuit cited "Does, 1 through 100" as defendants.

In June, Microsoft acquired LinkedIn for US$26.2 billion in cash. The deal is expected to close by the end of the year.

LinkedIn alleges that some of the attackers set up false accounts and then, using automated programs or so-called bots, scraped data that was available on other public LinkedIn pages. This material was then shared with others. The means by which the other unnamed defendants operated was not specified in the lawsuit.

Business networking.
- A Russian municipal councilor has urged the Education Ministry to launch a separate school course describing the lives of “traitors of national interests,” claiming this information is important for the value system of the younger generation.

The letter to the ministry, prepared by St. Petersburg City lawmaker Vitaly Milonov and quoted by Izvestia daily, reads that ‘traitors studies’ must concentrate on the modern period of Russian history, in particular the collapse of the USSR and the roles of certain people in this event, the separatist movements of 1990s and their leaders, and also people who opposed the reunification of the Russian Federation with the Republic of Crimea in 2014.

“We must pass to our children the proper appraisal of all historical processes and all personalities who have affected our modern lives. The purity of the color white can be estimated only in comparison with the darkness of black,” Milonov writes in his letter.
- It's not quite the Star Trek Enterprise but NASA has revealed it's developing "deep space habitats,” which will house astronauts in outer space in the future.

The space agency’s NextSTEP-2 program, which has a budget of around $65 million, aims to both advance the commercial development of space while also allowing for the further exploration of deep space.
- The hack of an NSA malware staging server is not unprecedented, but the publication of the take is. Here's what you need to know:

        1) NSA traces and targets malware C2 servers in a practice called Counter Computer Network Exploitation, or CCNE. So do our rivals.
        2) NSA is often lurking undetected for years on the C2 and ORBs (proxy hops) of state hackers. This is how we follow their operations.
        3) This is how we steal their rivals' hacking tools and reverse-engineer them to create "fingerprints" to help us detect them in the future.
        4) Here's where it gets interesting: the NSA is not made of magic. Our rivals do the same thing to us -- and occasionally succeed.
        5) Knowing this, NSA's hackers (TAO) are told not to leave their hack tools ("binaries") on the server after an op. But people get lazy.
        6) What's new? NSA malware staging servers getting hacked by a rival is not new. A rival publicly demonstrating they have done so is.
        7) Why did they do it? No one knows, but I suspect this is more diplomacy than intelligence, related to the escalation around the DNC hack.
        8) Circumstantial evidence and conventional wisdom indicates Russian responsibility. Here's why that is significant:
        9) This leak is likely a warning that someone can prove US responsibility for any attacks that originated from this malware server.
        10) That could have significant foreign policy consequences. Particularly if any of those operations targeted US allies.
        11) Particularly if any of those operations targeted elections.
        12) Accordingly, this may be an effort to influence the calculus of decision-makers wondering how sharply to respond to the DNC hacks.
- A court document filed in Michigan on behalf of Seth Piccolo, one of those convicted of participating in the group, says after Argos had obtained the IP addresses of some members, it shut down the site and provided Piccolo's name to the FBI.

In July, Piccolo was jailed for five months for his participation in the group.

Another court document related to the case of another member of the child pornography ring claims the FBI received the IP addresses of more than 30 users based in the US.

According to the report, a third court document suggests that the IP addresses were obtained by means of sending links to external websites to members and noting their IP addresses when they visited those links which also contained child pornography.

The files that they linked to were set up in such a way that they routed the user's traffic outside the Tor network, the report said.

It said it was unclear as to where Task Force Argos obtained a warrant or whether one was sought to obtain the IP addresses that were turned over to the FBI.

Asked for an opinion about the legality of what had been done by Taskforce Argos, Melbourne-based barrister and Australian Lawyers Alliance spokesman Greg Barns said Australian police forces could not simply wander around the globe offering to assist their colleagues in other jurisdictions.

Barns added: "While they have power to hand over information to foreign law enforcement in some cases, the way they came across that information is the issue."
- Mr Farwerck said the traditional 20 per cent discount between large cap and small cap valuations had shrunk to just 4 per cent as new buyers crowded the market, bidding up floats and stretching already lofty valuations.

"People are scratching their heads for growth and investment opportunities. There's very little growth left in large caps, which is why you are seeing a lot of large cap managers trotting around at this end of the market," Mr Farwerck said.

"Eventually one would think the PE discount of small caps to large caps would revert to the mean. These companies will need to prove going forward that the PE expansion has been justified, if they don't prove up the earnings the PE will revert."

- as usual thanks to all of the individuals and groups who purchase and use my goods and services
http://sites.google.com/site/dtbnguyen/
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Dodgy Job Contract Clauses, Random Stuff, and More

- in this post we'll be going through dodgy job contract clauses. Ironically, many of which are actually unlawful and unenforceable on c...