"Elite Greedy Pigs"
- Keith Sansum1
- Location: london
- Registered: 25 Aug 2010
- Posts: 23,942
25 January 2013 18:59212038She has some interesting thoughtsALL POSTS ARE MY OWN PERSONAL VIEWS - Brian Dixon
- Location: Dover
- Registered: 23 Sep 2008
- Posts: 23,940
25 January 2013 19:05212043nice lady to.can we swap her for osbourne. - Keith Sansum1
- Location: london
- Registered: 25 Aug 2010
- Posts: 23,942
25 January 2013 20:00212060So how do we stop this gap widening, and repair between rich and poor
or do we do nothing?ALL POSTS ARE MY OWN PERSONAL VIEWS - 26 January 2013 10:00212154Keith, your interminable whining about the gap between rich and poor is just like having a child in the back of the car, constantly asking "are we nearly there yet?".
I'm an optimist. But I'm an optimist who takes my raincoat - Harold Wilson - 26 January 2013 10:07212155Keith is right to keep up with this point, the flattening or entallening (language is a fun thing, right?) of the hump of the bell-curve of wealth distribution brings us all to a closer understanding of which question is to be asked to have any hope of obtaining an answer to our ills.Ignorance is bliss, bliss is happiness, I am happy...to draw your attention to the possible connectivity in the foregoing.
- 26 January 2013 10:10212158maybe starbucks have finally smelt the coffee?
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/newsbysector/retailandconsumer/9828381/Starbucks-fights-shy-of-UK-figures-amid-fear-of-tax-backlash.html - 26 January 2013 12:00212166#2203 The answer is do nothing, at least not in the sense of direct action or reducing the wealth of others though penal taxation as that will not help anyone.
There will always be poor, or at least to re-phrase that the relative poor. Today's poor are rich compared with the poor of the 19th century. How many people after all go without their mobile phone, television?
What is important are opportunities for people to lift themselves out of being among the relative 'poor'. No matter what you do though some people will never take such opportunities and through their own life choices stay relatively poor. This is a fact of life and you will never change that.
What we need is a successful economy as that is the only way to create the opportunities people need to improved their lot. Opportunities are all you can provide.
As for those of working age who are incapable of taking advantage of such opportunities, through disability rather than stupidity or their own foolish lifestyle choices that is, then their best bet is a more prosperous economy that can afford decent benefits.
Ho do we improve opportunities? - that is where the real debate should be. - 26 January 2013 12:41212169Cameron challenges tax avoiders who fail to pay their ``fair`` share to the Treasury.
John Christenson of Tax Justice Network said Cameron is talking the right language but he needs
to now take concrete steps.
Richard Murphy MD Tax Research UK said Cameron talks the talk but needs to walk the walk.
Cameron said some forms of avoidance have become very aggressive that it is right these raise
ethical issues........Finance Johnnies not ethical.......what next ? - 26 January 2013 12:56212171Senior Barclay`s executives named in Libor scandal list.Chris Lucas and Rich Ricci,Lucas
is finance director and Ricci is head of investment banking division.
Bob Diamond CEO and Jeremy del Missier chief operating officer together with Mr Darlove head of
money market,Harry Harrison head of trading rates,Rupert Fowden MD capital management were
also on the list of 104..........what a can of worms.....GB did not get a mention !!!!!! - Keith Sansum1
- Location: london
- Registered: 25 Aug 2010
- Posts: 23,942
26 January 2013 21:10212233Do nothing and allow the gap to continue? i dont think so, nor do others in very prominent positions.ALL POSTS ARE MY OWN PERSONAL VIEWS - 27 January 2013 11:25212282There are other reasons for world hunger but perhaps the most disturbing development is the huge growth in food speculation.
Banks, hedge funds and financiers are speculating on the price of food, causing volatile and rising prices. Traditionally, 'hedging' protected farmers against climatic or other risks by agreeing in advance of the harvest to sell crops to traders at an agreed price. When hedging was tightly regulated, it worked reasonably well and food prices were set by the forces of supply and demand.
But after heavy lobbying by free-market fundamentalists, regulations on commodity markets were steadily dismantled from the mid-1990s. Contracts to buy and sell food were turned into 'derivatives' that could be traded by those with no involvement in agriculture.
Following the sub-prime fiasco which started in 2006, banks and traders rushed to move billions of dollars in pension funds and equities into 'safe' commodities, especially food.
In 2011, investments in food derivatives stood at $126 billion, compared to $3 billion in 2003.
http://www.pacificecologist.org/archive/21/pe21-21st-century-famine.pdf 2013.
The year 2013 may see another price hike, following the worst draught in the US in 50 years and poor harvests in Russia and Ukraine. The UN has warned that the world may be approaching a major hunger crisis.
At the same time, the industry is bringing millions in profits to those who rushed to invest in food. Goldman Sachs made an estimated $400 million in 2012 from investing its clients' money in a range of "soft commodities," from wheat and maize to coffee and sugar, according to an analysis by the World Development Movement (WDM).
"While nearly a billion people go hungry, Goldman Sachs bankers are feeding their own bonuses by betting on the price of food.
Financial speculation is fueling food price spikes and Goldman Sachs is the No, 1 culprit," Christine Haigh of the WDM told the British newspaper The Independent.
http://rt.com/news/food-price-speculation-banks-411/"My New Year's Resolution, is to try and emulate Marek's level of chilled out, thoughtfulness and humour towards other forumites and not lose my decorum" - Keith Sansum1
- Location: london
- Registered: 25 Aug 2010
- Posts: 23,942
27 January 2013 13:28212299gary
you certainly done your homeworkALL POSTS ARE MY OWN PERSONAL VIEWS - 27 January 2013 18:10212350# 2211....posted 7th Feb 2012...........
Glencore commodities trader run by billionaires obtained £ 50 million World Food Programme contract despite the UN pledge to buy from `poor farmers`
Glencore operated in secrecy from Switzerland until six months ago when they floated on to the London Stock Exchange.
Global food economists said it was `Shocking`how food aid is `funnelled` to one of the worlds largest commodity traders.
`War on Want` CEO said Glencore`s self confessed speculation on grain markets last year forced up prices at a time of world shortage driving more people into extreme hunger.
Today Glencore will merge with mining group Xstrata to become one of the top ten FTSE companies.
Glencore`s CEO`s nickname is `$ 10 million man`.Four other directors are billionaires.
WFP last year received aid of £ 144 million from UK and $ 1.2 billion from US.
Do we need these financial pariah`s? - 27 January 2013 18:19212351And I bet they have mobile phones and TV's too, Reg
"My New Year's Resolution, is to try and emulate Marek's level of chilled out, thoughtfulness and humour towards other forumites and not lose my decorum" - Keith Sansum1
- Location: london
- Registered: 25 Aug 2010
- Posts: 23,942
27 January 2013 18:35212357With people starving in the world, should this be allowed to go onALL POSTS ARE MY OWN PERSONAL VIEWS - 28 January 2013 07:14212481The big question is do we need these left wing pariah's whose insane economic experiments in big government drive the economy into crisis damaging the poor more than anyone?
Glencore is a successful company and well run despite the slanderous attacks on the business by those left wing pariahs who could not run a pee-up in a brewery.
There are a lot of good commodity investments and it is quite usual for such defensive investments to do well in times of financial uncertainty.
There is a lot of rubbish out there on the internet that can easily be cut and pasted. You could even find evidence of little green men living in the Arctic if you want
- 28 January 2013 07:19212482Some it seems Barry, live in the Dover District too.
Roger - 28 January 2013 08:54212490I love your second paragraph Barry, reminds me of an organisation with shall we say the odd interesting director who couldn't even run a Saturday market.
- 28 January 2013 09:21212494
What a pity the facts are not quite how you portray them Dave1. - 28 January 2013 09:27212495BarryW.
All well-chosen replies yet again, avoiding the difficult pieces.
Yes, many companies are successful and most of their dealings are well run but that was not what the article referred to, was it?
It was about them investing in food, when so many people are dying, yes dying of hunger?
Just acceptable necessary collateral consequences to you, I suppose.
These are not slanderous attacks, these companies are making £billions on food speculation and financial speculation on food, is fuelling food price spikes, whilst people are dying of hunger.
Would you like to concentrate on that issue alone and for once give an answer to one of my posts?
As for
"There is a lot of rubbish out there on the internet that can easily be cut and pasted. You could even find evidence of little green men living in the Arctic if you want"
We are all well aware of that little gem, via your posts, or do you think you have a special dispensation for yours? "My New Year's Resolution, is to try and emulate Marek's level of chilled out, thoughtfulness and humour towards other forumites and not lose my decorum"