h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

Uber Phreak - there are more important measures of the 'goodness' of a country than it's GDP per capita, whatever the priests of capitalism might proclaim. Indeed, a blinkered focus on GDP is itself 'behind the times' - very 1980's...

It was interesting to listen to Dubya's plan (on TV just now) for getting the economy of the world's greatest capitalist society back on track.

Subsidies.

Oh dear. Whatever happened to "market forces" and the "level playing field".

Not to mention the fact that the government was already out of money before sept.11. Just where are these $40 billion going to come from?

Sorry to those who think that the US economy is a pure capitalist economy only subject to market forces. The US is using the same techniques employed in the 19th, 20th and now 21st century. If you do know of a pure capitalist society, let me know.

Deficit spending has been used for many, many,many years by countries and households. You get the money from borrowing if you don't have it coming in income. You either borrow it from yourself (in this case the extra trillion or so brought in by the social security fund) or you borrow it in open market (US treasury bonds - one of the safest investment in the world).

The debate pre september 11th was about paying back debt or not touching social security (government retiremet )funds. The debate now is about spending and worry about paying back later.

I am sure as everyone here knows, the gas that powers the capitalist machine is capital(money) and how it is used or abused. You have to put gasoline in the engine to provide the spark to get it going and you have to pay for major rebuilding, war at the same time.

I get to eat dog food when I retire, but at least I'll have the consolation that the money has paid for lots of Afghan deaths.

"It was interesting to listen to Dubya's plan ...Subsidies.

Oh dear. Whatever happened to "market forces" and the "level playing field"."

No kidding! Mr. Welfare reform and let those who can't swim, sink, is now handing out billions of dollars in what amounts to welfare.

$15,Billion to prop up the f*****g airlines who have turned around and laid off over a hundred thousand workers.

I wonder if he's sorry he gave all that "refund" money back to the upper crust in August. I wonder, too, how soon he's going to have to hike up taxes. I hate that man with the heat of a thousand flaming suns.

Calm down, Charlotte.

I'm one of those "upper crusts" you mention on the rebate bit. I promise you, I'm far from that! Monsy and I are just working stiffs. The $600 helped catch up my power bill and mortgage.

We've argued this to death over here, but one more time let me say....

...I paid it in, therefore its' a rebate. If you didn't pay it in, and they give it to you, its' welfare.

If I gave the government more money than they needed...then I expect them to give the excess back to me, not to someone who didn't pay taxes. Is that not fair? If you think it is unfair, would you kindly enlighten me to you logic?

NM

http://www.bbc.co.uk/h2g2/guide/A641477

errmm..Robert, you've been "moderated"!

I must say, I give respect to anyone who flaunts the "the Bruce" sirname, anywhere.

Anyone with my "Wallace" sirname would!

NM

It was a link to a site with the word "Chicks" in the title... However, I suspect the moderator didn't actually bother to follow the link, as it led to a company printing Christian tracts...

Thats' not surprising...


...my page was moderated because I had Wowbaggers' cartoon site listed on my page. It wouldn't be so bad, but hes' the guy that does the H2G2 Posts' cartoon!LOL

NM

Some of you may be wondering why is the world increasingly dangerous?

May I suggest the answer can be found in the doctrine of exponential growth, which requires exploitation and the means to enforce it.

Why would you want to eat dog food when you retire Theanthrope and what does that have to do with afghans?

LÒÒny, you should really see a doctor about that exponential growth...

Secretly, I am hoping it will cause a burst of understanding in Listener's 'brain' about the hypocrisy of globalisation.

Social Security funds are going to be plundered to fuel the military machine. Rather than provide for the elderly in this country, the money is being used to kill in other countries.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/h2g2/guide/A641477
try again

Tried, failed... Perhaps if you link to an external page which in turn links to the tracts...? A sort of "double indirection"? Perhaps through a domain name which doesn't imply you'll find soft-porn at the other end of it?

I had a quick re-read of the T&Cs in case they'd slipped some new ones in while I wasn't looking. There were two possible reasons for that URL being stomped on - either it was because the site was viewed as a purely commercial (i.e. for profit) enterprise, which I doubt as the prices would have only just about covered printing expenses, or the site was likely to offend other users of the site...

I had a look at the "Somebody Goofed" pamphlet, and it didn't look particularly offensive. Simplistic, yes. Predictable, yes. Offensive, probably not...

Or maybe to protect, people like you. theanthrope

Protect him from what... old age?

Surely even the most rapid self-seving Yankee capitist wouldn't risk his/her mother's right to see out her declining years in (financial) dignity.