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

Jabberwock, I would be happy to offer my services in tracking down these extra potatoes. Naturally, I expect a finder's fee, which in this case would be some of the potatoes.

In any event, the daily "value" of a share of stock consists of the price that buyers and sellers were able to agree on for the shares that traded that day. There might be zillions of shares that did not change hands that day. If and when these shares eventually get sold, they will be valued at whatever price buyers are willing to pay on that day.

I stopped buying stock mutual funds for my non-retirement funds in 2000, and have only used my retirement accounts for them since then. If the markets reach their ultimate low before July 2010 (when I stop putting money into retirement acocunts), then I ride back up as the markets recover. If we are still going to heck in a handbasket, I assume that my shrunken nest egg will go farther in a world where
food and gas and clothing are trending down in cost.

But I can't predict that far ahead , so I'm not going to worry about it now. I can sing for spare change on street corners. Or, if change is in short supply, I will sing for my supper.

i hope i will never have to sing for my supper

i have paid many taxes over the years not to have to do that

Unfortunately banks, businesses + us can go bust, however a country (such as UK or USA) is highly unlikely too. So a country can borrow loads of money + not have an initial problem.

Later on, the debt falls back on the naive hard working taxpayers, like you and I

I find this financial situation sickening quite frankly + surely its all the faults of the US goverment + matters occuring outside the UK!!

Joyika, re: post 63. I get a distinct impression most American voters think so. There's been rising dissatisfaction with domestic governance since 2004.

Globalization is a larger factor than it used to be. Take the U.S. and Japan. Japan makes stuff. Americans like to buy that stuff. This gives Japan a trade surplus relative to the U.S. So, Japan buys lots of U.S. Treasury securities. China is making a lot of stuff now, too, so they're probably also buying a lot of U.S. treasury securities.

Maybe someday, they'll stop buying the securities. At that point, if no one else picks up the slack, the interest rates on the securities will have to go up until buyers start to materialize. This will make it harder for people and businesses to function in the U.S., and they may have to buy less stuff from Japan and China and elsewhere. So, it's an arrangement that has some benefits for every party, and some drawbacks.

I have no problems with Globalisation, - + it does sometimes make going on holidays easier (more cash machines for your bank)

sadly though- if there is one Financial diaster in one country- it effects everything!!!

Sometimes the abyss that opens up has room for everyone, as in the 1930s. However, the abyss that swallowed Japan in the 1980s spared the U.S. and a few other economies. In the current abyss, China is claiming that they're okay for now. We'll see if the ripples spread to them eventually.

India is not ok it seems though- I watch NDTV on sky occasionally + their banks + big businesses in trouble too- I hape this won't again effect us, as its Indian companies who own Car Manufacturers (eg. Land Rover)+ steel works

But Indian companies didn't always own Land Rover and steel mines. They can always sell to someone else.

Oh yeah, I know- they are just managing them now, + own them!!!! (lot like football clubs!- these things are just commodities

In fact there are no UK car companies anymore I think!!!(maybe McLaren)

But you still have horses and wagons, don't you? When the world runs out of oil, and the ethanol is banned because people need to eat the grains that it is derived from, those horses will come in handy.

...twixt that, the population crash, the melt down of every nuclear power plant and spent fuel storage facility on the planet, and a jealous God angered by the temerity of humankind making itself indispensable for the survival of the planet that way...

Underground horse races? On the Moon, perhaps, on banked courses where the horses run on the walls of the track?

What is God jealous of? Us? Please!

It's an intransitive use of the term, Paul. Thus it's not suggested that God is jealous OF anybody.

It has the meaning of being unable to tolerate unfaithfulness or being intolerant of disloyalty. Such as of mankind running around playing at being God.

Jab

After humans are gone- the cockroaches will take over + that will be that!!!

wonders how many dictators and others want to be a the cockroach in their next life...

only to realise that the cockroach's life in not what is suppose te be...

I hear they are indestructible practically- come cold or heat!!!- apparently they've been around since the dawn of man + haven't changed much- what a good design maybe???

on a different note- not long for us election!!! Barack Obama to win maybe????

I HOPE SO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Cockroaches were around before the dinosaurs came on the scene. There were trilobites swimming in the oceans. The trilobites went extinct, the dinosaurs came and went, and the cockroaches are still with us. If scientists want to solve the hunger problem, they need to breed huge cockroaches that can be used for meat.