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

Mr Kevin Rudd is giving us some loot this week. He is calling it a "massive fiscal stimulus package" which to me sounds more like an excruciating medical procedure using a bunched hand. Anyway, the idea is that we need to spend spend spend for Australia. Some of Mr Rudd's detractors argue from a platform which holds that we're too bogan to me trusted with the budget surplus and that we'll waste it all on booze and pokies, instead of at (for example) Harvey Norman.

The wisdom of such wide-scale federal profligacy and the sustainability of relentless economic growth aside, those detractors are wrong. Local clubs/pubs like the Sports Club or the RSL are at the social hearts of many of our communities. Money dispensed into gaming machines funds props up our grass roots sporting endeavour while most of our beer is locally made. The cash stays inside Australia. If we spend as seems to be intended on iPods and TV screens the size of the flight deck on a Nimitz Class carrier, all our (it was never yours Mr Costello!) hard-earned surplus goes off shore.

Make poverty history ...

Come on Doc please make your upside down world sound a bit more attractive. We've more coming in than we have going out.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/3569544/Warning-on-Britains-grey-population.html
If us oldies could live tax free and manage our own affairs, it seems that all we need do is employ a few young'ns and spend our hard earned pensions to make our own little world go round. Who knows, with our own bank, we could lend a bit out and maybe make a bit. That seems to be the way to do it unless you get too greedy.

You already had one of those: it was called the Co-Op. You put money in: they lent it out and gave you little blue stamps for shopping with them. What happened to it?

If you're holding folding, you could do worse than to put 30 grand into Ernie. It's not inflation-proof, but the chances are you'll do not much worse than "a proper bank", and there's the off chance you'll score one of the nice prizes, without the all-or-nothing risk that is peddled weekly by Camelot.

And if you don't mind waiting for a decent return, get into energy stocks before OPEC cut production later this month ...

http://www.tehrantimes.com/index_View.asp?code=184377

That'll give some short term gain. Long term, you have to wonder about the capacity of the Gulf Stream to keep you warm in winter. We've already been to $150/barrel once: it'll be easier and quicker second time around. All it needs is a spoonful of confidence ...

http://www.co-operative.coop/aboutus/

They don't pay in stamps any more. My personal account's with them, all ranting in journals about NatWest, Barclays etc is work related. Picked up a membership form last month but haven't got round to filling it in. Their supermarkets are second only to Lidl. Lidl are priceless - they've got trumpets in stock at our local. Go in for sprouts, come out with a trumpet.

Ernie, check.
Energy, check. (though extremely small scale)

Hi Waz.
Still remember my mothers old co-op divi.number 12081. They used to deliver by horse and cart. I played football in the field where they kept the horses. Those days are long gone.
Haven't got too much by way of shares Doc.
BT for old times sake and a few Halifax give aways. A bit tied up with insurance linked unit trusts that have given me a 6.5% pay out for the past 25 years and still hold the original capital value. No doubt they will have suffered in the current financial turmoil.
Needless to say there isn't much of it, but any spare cash goes into tax free ISA's.
Greedy financial fiddlers, property values and the tax man are playing hell with that seals inheritance. Just hope the trustees of my company pension keep their heads down in the impending storm.
Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.

Ahem.

You really shouldn't leave anything to seals, you know.
Ungrateful little b*ggers if you ask me.

I drove past a sign today.

It said:

"Fresh Seal"

Statement of Fact or Invitation to Treat?