A BIT OF ALIEN NEWS
Posted by anthonynorth on May 15, 2008
Welcome to my daily Diary post. I thought I’d talk first about the weather – after all, that’s what us Brits do best, or so we’re famous for. We’ve been having a beautiful week here, after a miserable, damp, cold start to spring.
Which brings me to my garden. Now, I’m not the best of gardeners, and with chronic fatigue syndrome I’m limited to how much I can do. But I’ve never seen nature go so manic as it has this week! Me thinks the Triffids are back.
And so, it seems, are the bad times.
Mervyn King, governor of the Bank of England, has talked about grim times ahead. The good times are over, with the economy taking a down turn that could last a couple of years.
Of course, this should have happened years ago. It was impossible to maintain present living standards. And we only did so through the insanity of non-existant credit. And the real problem is, the more such measures put back the downturn, the more harsh the downturn would eventually be.
So it’s miserable times ahead, I’m afraid.
Indeed, in the UK interest rates are on the up, and people are beginning to talk about unemployment again. And as for the housing market, that horrific term, negative equity, has come back into common usage.
In one way, though, an economic squeeze is not so bad. Good times tend to lead to decadence and thoughlessness, whereas downturns lead to more selflessness and introspection. I guess we could do with that again.
Well, enough of alien news. Oh no, there’s more!
The British Ministry of Defence has just released its UFO files, and the media has been having a mini-mental breakdown as it plays X Files music and shows people dressed in little alien costumes.
Well, okay, this slliness is inevitable. Yet, my love of mysteries has led me to research things like UFOs for years. And whilst I don’t accept ET is visiting us, the subject can teach us a hell of a lot about psychology, social interaction, perception, culture and much more.
A pity so many can’t see the opportunity for research the subject brings. Oh well, hope to see you tomorrow.
© Anthony North, May 2008
poupee97 said
THis is not exactly related to your entry, but I recently read a report about how much food – good food, not just rotten food – is wasted daily in Britain; this, despite the global food crisis we’re hearing so much about (and which the US is so eagerly trying to pin on to the third world countries, including India). Any comment?
anthonynorth said
Hi Poupee97,
I think this IS related, in a way. One of the main reasons for that ridiculous, disgusting waste is the way supermarkets have moved away from small packaged amounts, to bumper portions.
All this in the manic drive for more and more profit, with people buying, knowing they’ll throw half of it away.
It’s absolute madness.
Brian said
A credit economy provides the highest standard of living, but is also the most unstable. When you consider how few people could afford a car, a house and consumer goods consider essential if we all had to pay cash, rather than with loans, it puts the current ‘crisis’ into perspective. In the U.S. consumer spending accounts for 70% of the GNP, however, much of that is spent running up the trade deficit. The people most affected by a slowdown will be the employees of retail stores that sell clothing and electronics. Bankruptcies and layoffs have already claimed tens of thousands of low wage unskilled workers from these sectors and will claim thousands more.
Food and energy costs are inflated because transportation has been artificially held down in the past and now the rapid rise, called inflation by everyone except the U.S. Government, is being caused by the suppression of the dollar by the Federal Reserve in their zeal to print money and ease the credit crunch. Pushing the dollar lower causes investors to look for other means of profit and those are, to name a few, oil, gold, silver, wheat, corn and soybeans. And since most oil purchases are required to be in American dollars, the oil producing countries are sitting on a sea of devaluing currency which they send back to the U.S. to buy the Treasury debt in terms of the extra money being printed for credit.
If the Fed turned off the money supply and raised interest rates above European rates, the price of oil would fall well below $60 a barrel as the money would flee commodities and buy U.S. notes.
anthonynorth said
Hi Brian,
An excellent analysis, but it is for a sane world. Not sure we exist in one, though.
To me capitalism is a great idea, and easily the best way to be. But on saying that, it has got to include moderation. Today’s super-capitalism has gone way overboard, and sensible measures just won’t be taken
If you go back to modern capitalism’s philosophical conception with Adam Smith, he argued it could only work alongside thrift.
We’ve forgotten that.
Chelle Y. said
I learn so many interesting things when I read your blog.
Thanks for visiting my TT!
anthonynorth said
Hi Chelle Y,
Thanks for that. A writer can ask for nothing more
john ryan said
I suppose it’s all cyclical, whether it’s history or the economy of whatever nation. Yet the older I get, the less optimism I seem to have for any upturn in the cycle. Here in the States, we are in the midst of a vapid political process which is becoming embarrasing. “Change”. Ok. That’s the extent of the political philosophy among the majority of the US electorate.
I admit a woeful ignorance of the British system, but the new mayor of London seems quite the character…
You are one of the few who seems to go beyond the UFO/ET connection, as is popular, to the socio-psychological causes of the phenomenon. I appreciate that. Whatever the phenom is, the ramifications could be enormous, even if they are not ET’s. The MoD should be applauded.
anthonynorth said
Hi John,
I agree that things tend to be cyclical, but what seems to be happening in recent decades is that the cycles are lasting longer before change, thus allowing a deeper extremism.
This is particularly relevant in the extended tenure of political parties before they’re kicked out. If we changed them more often, we’d maybe have a less extreme world, and a lessening of the many troubles that come from this process.
Ah! Young Boris. Whether he’ll do a good job as London Mayor, I’m not sure. But one thing I do know, we need more politicians like him.
A true eccentric, he makes politics vibrant once more, whittling away at the ‘men in grey suits’. And I’m sure this is a vital ingredient to take away the political apathy in much of an electorate today.
Yes, I’ve never accepted the ET tag for UFOs. There is an interesting and vitally important phenomenon going on there. And yes, it will always come in for a certain amount of ridicule, but this doesn’t detract from its importance.
whypaisley said
on the gardening note,, this is my second year,, and i am taking a totally different approach,, as last year i had no clue what i was doing,, and ended up wasting 3/4 of what i put in… i am an indoor person,, so the garden forces me outside to water etc on a daily basis.. it isn’t much of a garden,, but i am hoping to enjoy a few veggies this year instead of feel guilty over all i have wasted!!!!
anthonynorth said
Hi Paisley,
I’m not used to gardening either. There was no garden where I grew up, and then I lived in cities or in armed forces accommodation, always moving.
Until four years ago when I returned to my roots. And boy, do I have a big garden! Maybe too big – that’s the problem. Still, I’m eventually finding a ’system’.
When I’m on top of it, I enjoy it, though.
poupee97 said
Hmmm… I didn’t know that – about bumper-sized packages. That’s really sad… specially when I read about whole chickens being wasted and so on… So many people can’t even afford chicken over here.
BTW, you can call me Poupee…:) The “97″ was a hangover from a really old ID created in 1997.
Congratulations on a quarter-million (did you say) page views. I wish I were so fortunate.
anthonynorth said
Hi Poupee,
Thanks for that. Yes, there’s a lot of madness over here in the west regarding profit. Some still come up with the argument that there is still choice – we don’t have to buy these enforced bumper-packs.
Which is true – if you have the money to buy in more exclusive outlets than supermarkets. But many don’t. So they’re trapped in this madness.
One day, hopefully, it will change – and the sooner the better.