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

Yep.
I need vs I want.
The line is blurred for too many, too long.
Applies to gov as well as individuals.

I need a cellphone. Why?

Because some years ago the sales people at some telecommunications outfit decided they needed to increase sales. Consequently, they extolled the virtues of being one up on YOUR competition by being able to accept phone calls from customers while snorkling in the Bahamas.

Customers appreciated this even though they still got their brand new gormet potato chip crushers in virtually the same amount of time as before. They felt like they were somehow more important than customers who got the devices after leaving a voicemail message.

Once it became apparent that cellphones could increase customer satisfaction in this matter, it was only a matter of time before they were included in somebody's mission statement.

So now I need a cellphone.

But I still don't have one. This probably accounts for my relative poverty compared to others in my field. And admittedly it takes longer to explain why you still get your gormet potato chip crusher yesterday like everybody else.

I know you're special but I have to express that in other ways like telling you the truth when the crusher shows up tomorrow instead of yesterday. I value your business but I value your humanity more. What I don't value is your greed or mine. It'll make somebody rich, but then what?

I do not have a cell phone either.
Show and American something, tell them its cool, soon millions want them.

Do people not mind they do not work as well!?!
I do not have one nor want one, they stink in function.

I do not have cable TV either.
Sure there are 110 channels but they are all owned or supported by the same 8. I have exposure to those 8 companies that furnish 80% of the media without paying them for them. Anything I cannot get on TV I can get on the www. the library or movie store. I seem to pay more attention toowhen I have hand picked them for myself.

*note -All the new technology has a record of my choices. How Handy,but for who? I wish could get a record of them when *I am trying to pick a movie or book.

I suppose the bottom line is we don't need anywhere near what we think we do, but that doesn't stop people. If it did, the needs would be much more acute, because the jobs would go south.

Unfortunately, this tends to cover up the problem. The worker is made to feel superfulous. We know that isn't true but the feeling is no less compelling. And as long as the corporations dominate, that's likely to remain a familiar feeling.

I see your point
*sigh*

I think I know where this is heading.

There's this issue with supply and demand reaching equilibrium and staying there even though not everybody in a society is gainfully employed. That's a sort of classic problem isn't it?

And if people aren't getting what they need to survive because they're unemployed then in some sense the society has failed to provision itself right? That's assuming that we don't equate provisioning with privilege.

If we do equate it that way then the problem is suppressing the un or underprivileged so they don't cut in the privileged which I believe has been the classic European solution. This in turn allows no only privileged classes to survive but to survive without necessarily being productive. As long as they can assign their own values to whatever is produced they're in position to dictate what everybody else must do to survive and prosper.

So the market then isn't free after all. It's manipulated on high and that's what's really meant by trickle down economics.

classic; "The rich get richer and the poor get poorer."

Yup, it's like the housing problem in Britain at the moment. I'm a freelance writer and artist/designer and have been trying to get a mortgage for years with no success - I work damn hard but no bank will give me a mortgage.
The thing that makes me really sick and the comparison with the rich dictating what the rest of us have to put up with is the example being set by all these flaming buying/selling/decorating/refurbishing housing programs on TV over the last few years.
I don't think I've ever seen any of these programs where the property cost less than £250,000. Now of course, the wealthy think that this is an average price for a house, house prices rise again, they sell their own house for £500,000 and buy a new house with the profits and a holiday home in a village where those that were brought up there can't afford to stay because of the rich buying it all up.
I mean where do they get their money? There was a program on last night - 'Britain's Best Home', which I had the misfortune to catch 5 minutes of, where there was a recently graduated student - repeat STUDENT - who bought her flat for £300,000 (!!!) and then carried out £120,000 'improvements' on it. (!!!!!!!) A STUDENT ?!?!?!?!?! AAAAAAGGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Most jobs I've had, including my freelance work, have dictated that I've had to work 12 - 16 hours every day, often 6 or 7 days a week - AND A STUDENT CAN BUY A FLAT FOR ALMOST HALF A MILLION WHEN I HAVE TO RENT FOR THE REST OF MY LIFE? (I know few student can do this, so students don't all moan to me that you stay in a pigsty and not a penthouse - my point is just the misappropration of wealth which is now taking over the basics of life; shelter etc. when before it was content to stay hidden in the south of England and has now spread countrywide like a virus )

I know this sounds really naive but - What the hell is going on? How can this be happening under a (in name only of course) "Labour" government? I know the answers...but I can't accept them and give up - these b*stards are keeping me out of a home! I live in a small seaside town and tried to get a mortgage a couple of years ago for an ex council house which was valued at £38,000, I was beaten in my offer and accepted that. Well, the same house went on the market again this year and a friend and his partner put in an offer of £93,000...and were beaten! A two bedroom, ex-council house was sold for £97,000 (!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!) all because these flaming yuppies with their 'people carriers', WAP phones and 'Juicers' and designer clothes for their kiddies are getting 'stressed out' living in the city and now buy up all the housing in smaller towns so they can commute and have 'a better standard of living'. It makes me sick. All I want is a small, humble place to stay, is that too much to ask my government to make available?

It's time to dust off that old banner and "EAT THE RICH" - after all, they've been nibbling at me for years, the b*stards!

RANT, RANT, RANT, RANT, RANT, RANT, RANT, RANT, sigh....

Eat the rich!

Oh my you have it bad today
I just finished the other post where I was agreeing, I too have a prejudice against money power. Some rich folks do not act like that, some you never know.

It is the same here.
Our house was the ugliest on the block bought it for under the worth of the neighborhood now it is worth 4 times the price in 7 years. Equal to the average house on the street but still below "average price". That may sound ok but it's not. We cannot afford to 3-4 times the payment to move. I am glad we have a roof over our head. It was a storke of luck when the market crashed and we had a tiny bit of savings. BUT it was because the house and many other were foreclosed. The down payments here are zilch,they get rolled into the home loan on the "first buy". That helped people buy their first house more than any other single change.

We bought a house we know we can afford instead of what they tried to sell us We also bought in a neighborhood where we are the minority. It is a better kept area and has more mature tress ,than many we saw for the same price where we were not a monority. We had to beg to see it because it was only being shown to one race. People still occasionally ask me what are you doing here? teehee ~ I live here!

Those students buying places have their parents money more than likely or are partners with the parents. For some the price of a home seems reasonable compared to having the kids live on campus. Families with money and several kids going to college buy and keep a house until they all graduate! They often have enough money to pay for the last kids schooling when they sell 8- 10 years later.

Yeah I could start ranting about here.....that is an example of how you save money by having money. Quantity saves money, having cash available up front saves money. Having savings saves money. Grrr happens all the time. When you get into even bigger bucks you get freebies from every direction!

"an example of how you save money by having money. Quantity saves money, having cash available up front saves money. Having savings saves money"

Yup. Good sense from across the ocean yet again.

Incidently Abbi, what is the minority you live in? I gather it is a racial 'minority'?

The housing market unfortunately works different over here. If you are single, with one income, and are self-employed, your chances of getting a mortgage for a house are almost zero. So much for our governments and financial institutions trying to encourage us to start our own businesses! It's like telling your kid he/she can save up for that new bike with pocketmoney and then riding off on the bike he's just bought and saying they can have it when he's an adult.

Frankly, I'd be amazed if Tom and I *ever* own our own home. And we're only 25 and 29, respectively, so likely we've a lot of time together, which makes 'ever' quite awhile...

I've only read the last page of this thread and wonder what the conversation has to do with Depleted uranium. Anyway, My husband is self employed and we at present are faced with selling our house and transferring our mortgage. YIKES! scarery at best. Aat least 7 years ago my husband was doing well so the bank took a risk. Now that he isn't doing as well, the mortgage is locked in and the bank has to transfer it to the next house. Thank goodness. The house I'm going to buy is valued considerably less than my present home so I should make a tidy profit at a time when money is very much needed.

Most singles cannot buy here.
You have to have a supreme high paying job.
Average house in this town is half a million dollars
A house 2 hours from a store or the Dr is cheaper unless it works as a *resort* then it's a lot more expensive.

In the rural areas, more like a quarter of a million.
Most cannot do it unless they inherit money or house.

It is typical to not own a house until early 40's or 50's.
We bought a run down house when the market dropped. It was a small window of opportunity *timing is/was everything* Most would not consider a fixer upper unless it is a Victorian Mansion. Ours is a "bungelow" 1 bath. That is generally a non marketable feature. Works for us 2, that is also rare. Our home is perfect for us but not really very resaleble. Another spot where it takes money to make money! It is the same as rent though so we could not go wrong. It's the price of rent with a tax break basically That is a good thing and I do feel fortunate. My frind bought a comparable house (sqaure footage -size)in a different area for one quarter of a million

People that migrate will move here and buy a large house for themselves and extended family, which may include 4-6 workers to pay.

There are many situations where 2 non marrieds buy as partners.
Single Moms rent and buy together for long term stability.

I am a minority in my neighborhood as far as age & race, spouse.
It is an older neighborhood with elderly Hispanic widows who have grown children. The work days are quiet and the weekends a bit nosiey because the grandkids come The few elderly men are kept very busy! One friend of mine; "X" cuts the grass and is a surrogate hubby for many of the widows. He is in his 90's They are happily retired.

I am younger,white ,childless, married as far as being a minority.

Most importantly ~ I comfy here! I never thought we would own a home either. So keep the hopes up because you will miss the *timing* when it comes along, thinking it will NOT happenFeeling homeless as a child makes having a home one of my #1 priorities. It was just an unlikely dream ,but it did come true. I am glad I have a safe home and a roof over my head on severe weather days! I always think of that and feel grateful Hubby says I am wonderfully weird in that way.

Good Luck and timing to you both in getting a home, if you want to

Yeah I allow drift No spelling or gramar rules and people are always welcome to go back on the topic
I'm easy.

Good for you Kasese!
Great to hear from you also
When will you move?
Keep in contact!

That is exactly why people put money into property that appreciates. Many retired people come here from more expensive areas and buy the biggest house they can. They live on one level of a 3 story home because it is "better return than the stockmarket". Insured!
They also have room to open it up when their big families come to visit.The takes money to make money or keep it Tax laws are very helpful in that area.