Pyramid Comment

This journal takes an alternative view on current affairs and other subjects. The approach is likely to be contentious and is arguably speculative. The content of any article is also a reminder of the status of those affairs at that date. All comments have been disabled. Any and all unsolicited or unauthorised links are absolutely disavowed.

Wednesday, November 10, 2010

Small Bites: 600 - 699

600  The very low interest rate on savings is designed to encourage spending. The low interest in addition to devalued finance (Quantitative Easing) simply steals 'worth' from the people.

601. Quantitative Easing ($600bn in USA illustrates the working of the globally applied device) simply reduces the value of money in circulation. Buying up government debt with this 'valueless' printed money. Ludicrous and without any logic. But it does create an illusion.

602. Councils turning off street lights. This 'saves' money (cost overhead), but Council Tax won't be reduced as a consequence. The same in and less out. Result: profit towards the council at the cost and detriment of the taxpayer. Same principle as government 'savings': it doesn't 'save' anything, just forces the consumer to contribute more. Deficit and cuts all paid for by the consumer/taxpayer.

603. George W. Bush had certain character traits when president, so why should anything now be different? The 'memoires' (whose memories and written by...?) assumes accuracy and veracity, though simply can attempt to justify and excuse past behaviour. A damage limitation exercise of sorts.

604. Making suicide illegal ensures better control of the people by the state and justifies criminal proceedings against someone's hijacked right to control their own destiny. If they decide to end their own existence (even to suggest a 'troubled state of mind' presumes madness and the desire to take your own life), why should the state arrogantly consider itself to 'know best'? What it does, however, is to ensure more control through fear and the psychological imprisonment (of the law breaker) without actually sending them to prison. Remember: many nasty criminals are not in prison. Clearly it is worse to take your own life than that of someone else.

605. The population growth and human behaviour are in conflict. Natural biological effects involve division of large into smaller entities (mitosis) and is contrary to living in a large city. The concentration of people living in any particular area increases and the consequential overcrowding and servicing the needs of these people becomes more difficult. Instead of dividing the city, the concentration is increased by cramming more and more. And upwards. This, of course, presumes a desire to serve the people. But the people serve the needs of the 'provider' paid for by the people. typical parasite : host scenario.

606. A 'meat-producing' animal is the animal 'forced to sacrifice itself' as it grows.

607. The human nature is always in conflict...

608. Life peerage numbers have increased in the 'upper house' with an effect of raising the Conservative presence in a coalition government (Labels), while the commons has seen a reduction in the number of MPs. The MP expenses scandal has been exploited to tighten the grip on the people, while enhancing the rights of the 'pseudo-influential'. Cameron's 'vision' appears to be more transparently loaded in favour of an elite society that condemns the 'common people' to servitude. Nothing really changes. Just continually shifts position slightly for the worse.

609. The student loan mechanism is pernicious. It's little more than a system that creates of a generation of debtors.

610. To divert attention away from the nation's financial ills. The 'Royal Engagement'. Then it's announced that it will only cost £80m. Not the bride's parents, as is traditional, of course, but the country. The people paying for it are not invited though can watch all those actually involved on TV. Or even stand outside and watch. The queen won't pay it, but even if this did happen, then the taxpayer would pick up the tab. The people will pay it. It's inevitable. More nauseating propaganda to raise the spirits. WMD = Weapons of Mass Destruction or Weddings of Mass Distraction (not original) or, perhaps, Weddings of Mass Divertion. It's still misdirection.

611. Is Kate Middleton vulnerable, not being one of the 'royal classes'? Diana was possibly (never proven) 'assassinated' and so is Middleton potentially 'at risk'? DA

612. Plunged into crisis? When already in a crisis it is a continuing crisis that just deepens. Once in a hole that is where everything remains until it all (never) gets out of the hole. More people, more control. It’s almost biblical where something has dominion over something else. The people over the animals. Animal Farmagain!

613. The 3Rs: reading, 'riting and 'rithmetic. This most sarcastic (and pathetic) ‘joke’ of all time has nothing to do with spelling.

614. Lord Browne started it all and then Lord Young states: "Never had it so good." Never had... what exactly? Low interest is good. Tell that to a saver. Tell that to those saving in the hostile (engineered) inflation cycle. This man wants no (further) aggrandisement or personal favours: he already has them: "...never had it so good."

615. Strictly... The BBC informs the public how the public voted. According to the BBC. How is a result verified? The BBC wouldn't lie would it? It is a corporaton. The 'ratings game' is a curious business for a company that does not advertise. But it does have the legal right to force the viewer to pay to view. The BBC profile is important and its all about 'being seen'. The low ability ('Strictly...') performer (being kept in the competition purely for "entertainment" value) who remains and presents themselves to have their performance judged (maybe amusing, yet in denial and rather like politicians), becomes more of an insult to a judge who scores ability and performance. Not how many viewers are returned. The alleged result from public 'phone-ins' is taken as honestly recorded and if so does nothing more than demonstrates a public that can only judge by emotion and not about ability. Assuming the result is genuine. This sacrifices those with talent in order to make the programme successful. Nasty. Just like politics (at the BBC).

616. Rack up energy prices claiming 'market forces' are the reason. This provides the perfect justification for necessary action. 'Create the situation then provide the solution': introduce the meter to actually watch the bills rise. Nauseous.

617. The usual proposed solution to combating addiction is to raise taxes. This is so obviously a method to profit from grief. The nature of addiction renders this impractical and for many impossible. Applying an increased tax is simple profiteering from misery and taxing the addicted is a similar principle to taxing a sick person for being ill. Addiction is not a life-choice, but the result of a wrong choice. To use addictive substances (tobacco and alcohol). But once that choice has been made, there is no going back. The distinction between the alcoholic and the alcohol dependent is just semantic (messing with definitions). They are equivalent except the social stigma attached to the alcoholic is much greater. That's illusory and attempts to dilute the problem, yet maintain the tax revenue. Those addicted are all ill people, but that 'hurts' government (financially). Not individuals within government, but the spread of culpability across government and this could affect popularity (power).

618. The Winners And Losers game means that truth often takes third place (at best).

619. Wars never end. They compensates (in part) for the increasing births and most importantly provide the theatre to sell manufactured weapons. Wars can be manufactured.

620. The bond market attempts to sell its product, but because of instability and the doubt about repaying, racks up the interest on agreeing to lend. As though that provides a guarantee. Once a debt has been created it can only be moved around as it grows. Credit card loans taken out to pay off a credit card loan to pay off a loan to...

621. It is clear that more often the term 'denier' now supersedes 'skeptic' (and sceptic).

622. Allow water to degenerate in purity and this will promote the sale of bottled water. 'Create the situation then provide the solution'.

623. RBS has (allegedly) loaned £43bn to Ireland after itself (allegedly) being bailed out by the UK. The (EU mechanism) has loaned a further £8.5bn (or more, but not less) directly to Ireland. The IMF ('Slush Fund') is also heavily involved. So, at least £61.5bn has been 'loaned'. Providing a loan is usual practice for banks and other institutions that have money and need to grow it. Taking virtual interest from virtual money. It's a method of 'creating' illusory money. 'Loan', 'loan', 'loan'. They will never be repaid. That's the idea. It's dumping money and making the problem greater. It's the solution: make the problem worse. Those in a position to lend money have been assembled to do just that. Everyone trusts everyone else! Such gullibility is mindblowing in its naïvety. Pool all the sick people together without any doctors and watch what inevitably happens. Everything dies. It's the sick person's fault and being ill in the first place. A profit from a loan can only be made if something gets paid back. But nothing ever will.

624. The human left-right brain combination makes a single working entity from two separate parts. The body needs both at the same time. Politics is two half-brains operating, but only one half-at-a-time and never together (except in the contrived political coalitions). Labels.

625. Conditioning to believe 0 -> 60mph is important. As a thought experiment: 40 -> 50 or 70 -> 80 for the 0.5,  1.0, 1.5 tonne vehicle. What does it really achieve and at what cost? Part of the weight is the bigger engine created by an improved ability to provide additional power.

626. Eurozone. (What is it?). Interest on Ireland's €85bn (£75bn) loan = 5.8%. The €35bn from IMF will take a decade to repay. 7 years Portugal, Spain, Belgium... everything has not been infected, but dragged into the system of debt. It's guaranteed and appears to be financed from the USA.

627. To state that mortality rates in hospitals can be reduced admits that they are avoidable.

628. Don't trust Iran, but trust the Americans less.

629. Global warming...

630. WikiLeaks: Hillary Clinton talks of lives a risk and national security. Rather: truth will out.

631. The greater the population density, the easier it is to hide.

632. For every bank that starts a loan there is always a bigger bank that will continue the deal.

633. Chote (OBR). Adding value means for the manufacturer, not the consumer (it's more expensive).

634. Cable to abstain from student loan affair (Graduate Tax). Instrumental in its birth.

635. Devolution for Scotland? How will this be spun around to cost England?

636. Re-offending is the obvious act of return to safety. And security.

637. Competition inevitably leads to inflation by increasing choice.

638. Surveillance - no hiding place with broadband everywhere.

639. Addiction - games or alcohol. Difference? There probably isn't.

640. WikiLeaks - classic. Truth will out and politicians running for cover. In the meantime: smear and attempt to shut it down as the people mustn't know.

641. Knife crime? Forget trying to tackle it. The Tories pledged to be tough on crime: 7th July 2008. That's why they are walking away from the general issue. Prison - off drugs? It's where many begin their eventual addiction.

642. Three way split of 57 LibDems = 3 x 19. Those that cosy up and vote for an increase to tuition fees (Tories) for party unity, those that abstain and try to dodge the issue of student tuition fees and those that will stand by their principles and vote against any increase.

643. The Jaws scenario - literally. Closing a beach as in Egypt may harm tourist trade, even when people are attacked and killed by sharks.

644. Pensions pot. One giant pot as opposed to many small ones maybe advantageous to keep costs down and sharing costs as each needs administration. But there are too many of the few grotesque payments that reduce the pot size form everyone else. Same principle as average salary examination.

645. Politicians 'talk over' commentators and anyone else simply in order to attempt to prevent them speaking.

646. A lot of 'new' Tory MPs ensures compliance to government moves.


647. Increase the population and make it unhealthy. Then provide the solution to restore reasonable health while continuing to attack it.

648. Marketing is still finding ways of parting the people from their money.

649. WikiLeaks: regardless of the hyperbole, the outcome is to simply confirm what many believe. Clandestine 'lies' are uncovered. The security issue is countered by focusing on the kind of activities that place an entire country's citizens at risk themselves by not even knowing what is being done in their name. The state has no right to confidentiality when the people are exposed to dangers and threats.

650. The population exists to make money. That money has no value doesn't slow it movinng about.

651. Separate the issues of control and rebellion.

652. Student Fees and Loans: the trap will not be sprung for at least three years after entering the trap unaware of what it is. The scheme will be fully implemented from 2012 and the the timing is highly significant. By the time that a record number of victims have been trapped, the grip then becomes apparent. The squeeze turns into crushing the neck around which the yoke has been chained. The shackles around the ankles start to get heavy as the doors to the trap are closed. The water begins to trickle into the room very slowly filling the room. The trickle is so slow it isn't recognised as a problem at the beginning. The water increases to fill the room. The room stays the same size. Water continus to trickle in. Awareness slowly dawns that the trap will flood and drown all that are caught in it. The continued government would have been settled months before the entire façade is nationally revealed. Too late. The early 'facing up' (2010) to the alleged financial constraints creates greater distance between the introduction and ultimate revelation.

  • Entering university (and the trap) and escaping the trap (exiting university with a probable 2.2) will happen, but not its consequences. Statements of account must be requested so implicitly hiding details.

Typical political control involves not (necessarily) telling lies, but always withholding the complete truth. Complete describes the good and the bad. Politics is all about the good. The bad is not disclosed, but just hidden. When the term transparent is 'spun' around it turns into impenetrable darkness. Truly wicked. It was consistently conditioned into people that Mandleson was a Devil incarnate. Cameron, Osborne and Cable make a three-pronged trident that represents an even greater evil. Another elephant in the room is that in times of 'job losses', the chances of the new-graduate flood exiting university (still within the iron grip of the trap that is about to be sprung) and getting a well-paid job that enables servicing the accelerating debt will continue to decrease. The reward for a degree is that the clock starts ticking and will continue for possibly 30 years. A mortgage is a similar lifetime's yoke. A 'life' sentence for 1st degree murder may be only 15 years.

653. Privatisation by stealth continues - the Tory ethos. Shift of power from government to the people who never asked fo it. The 'Localisation Bill'. Push responsibility onto council taxpayers with budget shrinkage. It appears that the better off areas have less 'cuts' while the more depressed regions have the greatest shrinkage. This will predictably fail, so where can it go? Councils now and Council Tax will inevitably increase by raising the contribution by taxpayers while reducing services. Road tax doesn't go on the roads.

654. EMA closure not in Wales, Scotland or N. Ireland.

655. The Lords supporting the government allowing fees to rise to £9000/year is a license to print money by just asking. And one of the most inflationary moves since decimalisation.

656. All the gains by devaluing money is virtual. Value is absent. It's about control through the pocket.

657. What right do politicians have to use state funded police for their own protection against a perceived threat that they brought onto everyone by their 'WikiLeaked' actions?

658. The right to protest is accepted... as long as they lose.

659. UK mortgage lending for Nov 2010 = £11.1bn. The debt is phenomenal and for just one month. Increase the mortgage rate to 'offset inflation'. Ridiculous: it's what causes inflation.

660. Air travel: little confidence in web information is the reason why people descend on airports in times of bad weather.

661. Gritting is not a panacea. It doesn't mean that roads are safe. Maybe just a little bit less dangerous. The attitude of some is dreadful.

662. If £bns in foreign aid are a reality, why is the campaign for charities to ask for just £2/month still ongoing?

663. The increase in VAT appears to be just 2.5%, but in reality is an increase of 14.28%17.5% -> 20% or 2.5/17.5 = 14.28.

664. What motive does government have to 'force' broadband everywhere? Either the promotion of debt or to the increase of surveillance.

665. Another cause of inflation: the 'middle-man'. Everybody wants a cut in the profit, ultimately paid for by the consumer. The front shop-window 'seller' from where goods are purchased (online or street shop store), buy their products somewhere and at a lower cost than is possible by the consumer. If the consumer could buy direct from the manufacturer then retail overheads and profit would not happen. Cost would be lower for the same article. A retailer charges VAT, but for the government and not for themselves. This inflates the cost. The system has been devised to ensure the consumer cannot easily buy 'direct' so enabling the taxation system. Inflation is controllable and the consumer is just being 'played'.

666. Scaring people into thinking they will probably die without a 'flu jab' and then announce a shortage of supplies: doctors' surgeries have run out so go to a supermarket. Of course, where else?

667.  We're all in this together in true Animal Farm mode using 1984 doublespeak. The practice of preaching is not possible for Osborne et al. The rich may understand austerity and its alleged necessity, but not suffering together. Cuts and Savings is euphemistic. It's spin. At cost to the taxpayers, the rich continue to benefit. This is all evidential of the truer 'truth'.

668. The Met Office failed to communicate the icy weather of end 2010 until it happened. The justification is the desire to be accurate with long-range forecasting. A truer explanation could be that revealing such an outcome would torpedo all the climate change verbiage. Imagine: people may start to think more rather than accept.

669. Growth of any commercial enterprise is totally dependent on the size of the 'consumer population'. The absurd logic that a growing population could lead to market growth is terribly flawed. It may appear obvious at first glance, but the corollary of the two concepts is wrong. The gross distortion assumes money itself grows. It does not and cannot. The apparent growth of the one is at the decline of the other. Adding new demands shedding the old. There is no space for new and old to exist together.

670. 'Flu is a symptom and not a cause. A depressed immune system will allow invasion by any virus and a virus can rapidly 'evolve'.

671. An aged population is possibly less able or healthy to understand finances and where it's all gone. Perfect.

672. Bankers' bonuses: increase debt by spending the taxpayer bailout. The parasite needs constant feeding. It how it thrives and grows. A parasitical characteristic is allowing bonuses to be paid out and then taxing them. It's iterative: taxpayers' financing and further taxing on taxed virtual money. Not disallowing the bonus in the first place would demonstrate common sense. But lending means debt. Means interest.

673. Did anyone actually vote for, or want, a coalition government?

674. Create dependency in oil products, then increase the cost. This is inevitable and completely predictable. Easy way to justify profit. Create the problem (dependency) and provide the solution (raise cost and hence inflation so sustaining profit).

675. Transgenic animals can be created that have resistance to selected diseases, so if the precedent demonstrates what can be done, what else could happen: both beneficial and detrimental.

676. Another facet of a growing population is the inevitable uprisings around the world. More people have more diverse issues. Everybody wants to be heard as they are moved to obscurity. Hide a tree in a forest.

677. The reality of 1984 and Animal Farm scenarios have been exposed.

678. Cameron would like to "tax [bankers'] the bonuses to Hell", but also because of the desire to grow the economy, wants banks to lend money to businesses. That is entirely in keeping with the Tory ethos of raising debt with the associated interest. These bonuses won't be taxed regardless of the rhetoric. The VAT tax for everyone else is (probably) permanent. Investment bankers suck money into the UK and since wealth can't be created only redistributed, the parasite grows as it feeds. It is argued that the UK economy would not be first league if the banks were not so successful and so a healthy parasite defines a 'strong' economy. The struggle that is the redistribution is illustrated by all the major global economies all vying for supremacy in apparent competition. Any other business would expect to move finance within budgets. Banks are so successful that alleged £bns more are raised by 'loans' from the UK taxpayer. The taxpayer acts as legal guarantor without ever having been asked if that's acceptable. Governments behave in the traditional patronising and supremely arrogant fashion of knowing all when the people are (conveniently) assumed just to be too stupid to understand the complexities of finance (aka greed). One definition of success is to be the winner. Even if there is only one winner and millions of losers.

679. Ageism: the older female presenter appears to be shunned by the BBC. As the population grows older, a higher proportion of that audience is older  and does not want to be talked down to and patronised by a young(er) female. Appearances are not everything. The obvious example of alleged ageism at the BBC can be reviewed by comparing Arlene Phillips and Bruce Forsyth. One (female) has gone supplanted by a younger woman and the other (male) stays. The other (young) female hostess remains. Out with (some) of the old 'old' and in with the new 'young'?

680. There's very little in the way of creativity today. As the (consumer) population 'grows' the parasite feeds off its own kind and exploits everything else. Creation is about debt and the associated interest. It's the perception of the way forward. It's going backwards and creating recession: regressing. but it's financially viable as redistribution is to itself and it grows and grows and.... Everything else, of course.. dies.

681. BA merger with Spanish carrier Iberia involves the modern definition of growth. International Consolidated Airlines Group (IAG) will swap shares on a one-for-one basis for the new share (value unknown). Growth is represented as a merged and consequently larger organisation. With continuing unrest and strikes looming in the troubled business, more appears to be hidden that makes such a merger still worthwhile. Growth is always 'worthwhile'.

682. Privatisation of the NHS funded publicly by taxpayers (£64bn) appears to be the game 'played' by the Tories by way of selling the family silver. Little has changed in the Tory philosophy and this exemplifies the danger in a system that 'gives' power to politicians. The consequences of ideologies that are placed squarely on wealth and nothing else. Governments and politicians do what they want to institute change for advantage (the beneficiaries are usually obscure, but always involves somebody spending (taxpayer) and somebody else 'buying' - private businesses).

683. Squatters are traditionally difficult to evict. Governments would have an interest in allowing squatters to remain ‘housed’ as they are then, theoretically, off the streets and gives the impression of a lesser 'homeless' issue.

684. Chaytor 'silently' going to prison can only suggest more about affairs is being kept secret.

685. Allegedly, within a decade UK was the cheapest in Europe. This has been elevated to the highest. Same global market for oil so why the UK been subject to the greatest increase. Anything to do with profiteering, taxation and fuel duties?

686. How does raising the interest rates manage inflation? It can only discourage new borrowing. Existing borrowers simply pay more. It's inflationary. Nobody knows what they are doing, but the tinkering just appears to suggest otherwise. Predictions and speculation can both be used to 'talk up' with false optimism, but this is nothing to do with reality. Nobody knows what they are doing. Amateurs simply masquerading as professionals (the 'experts' - DA). Different groups have differing ideas. No real consistency, just the same (meaningless) jargon. Try this and try that. All of it totally experimental. See if something different works. Even retry failed actions. They failed once before so will almost certainly fail again. But this perpetuates the opportunity to divert finances.

687. Pricing alcohol higher to combat consumption? Never. Addiction does not work like that. Other essentials get relegated to a more inferior level. The cost of these other essentials increase as the cost of alcohol is increased. The sales of alcohol would not be expected to suffer, but the families and everyone connected to the 'alcoholic' does. The 'alcoholic' will not go without and this is the dreadful nature of addiction and enabling a higher cost for alcohol does nothing to reduce the problem of 'binge' drinking. Responsible drinkers are punished by being forced to perpetuate and subsidise those who cannot stop drinking. It's not about the 'irresponsibility' of the 'binge drinker' (an 'alcoholic' in the making) or 'alcoholic'. The 'alcoholic', in nearly all situations is in total denial. Even being generous, any government that seriously desires to tackle the problem (and that is highly suspect, the revenue is too BIG 'an earner' - DA). The individual with a serious drink problem desperately needs help. Not punishment. But drinking is actually encouraged to maintain the revenue flow. Asymmetrically 'balanced' by the huge weight of revenue, social problems are declared manageable. It's deceit and betrayal. Alcohol for many is as serious a problem as the crack cocaine or heroin addict.

688. EMA is possibly abused by many (unverifiable). It is easy money paid to remain in secondary education. That does not teach self-responsibility, but the reliance on others. The reason to acquire an education is not emphasised. Finding out later in life helps no-one. However, the education market for the more mature 'student' who probably lives in a household where money is 'earned' (income) provides a good supply of finance to the market that provides the access to education. At cost.

689. 'Noisy' (renting) neighbours: why can't the landlord be charged with failing to make attempts to control it? Or benefit claimants who are housed and remain an incessant problem: why can't they be 'evicted'?

690. Commentators (currently about the economic 'crisis') do appear to be reading from the same script. The continuous use of mostly meaningless jargonistic 'buzzwords'  is rehearsed. Repeat the same (or similar - DA) phrases and concepts gives the impression that someone actually knows what they are talking about. Logic provides continuity and a consistency based on logic. Not the persistent repetition of the (nebulous) lie.

691. There was a time when a symbiotic approach was used to promote growth. It helped the consumer and the provider. The backward modern method is to maximise the cost borne by the consumer required to make a product and provide the greatest profit. Working in opposition rather than together. Competition encourages greed. And the need for supply ensures the high cost of starting materials even before a product can be made.

692. When young people leave school they still look forward to an exciting future, but today, this could mean being able to enjoy a major debt. You want a degree: it'll cost. Why? Because 'we' have conditioned you to expect it. 'We' will charge extortionate cost because 'we' can. Those who still want to enter into an expensive 'education' could become one of the future 'elitist' citizens, but absolutely controllable through the device of debt.

693. Rupert Murdoch: the pre-election (2010) Sky coverage of one of the leader-debates provides an example of the potential dangers of 100% control over communications. If both sides of an argument agree with each other, there is no counter balance and the truth is accepted for what it possibly is not since there is no conflict.

694. Mervyn King informs the people about the awfulness of their affairs. As though they don't know. But it is an opportunity to reinforce a 'message'. Telling people what they know does not need to tackle an issue. Inflation could reach 5% (only 5%? - DA) in the near future. Wow! Never considered that. King is pragmatically ineffective so... when will he go away?

695. The financial 'crisis' is not difficult to understand when the focus is directed towards the obvious. Misdirection is essential to make the illusion work. Growth is symbiotic with debt. Without the one, the other cannot happen. It relies on Winners And Losers.

696. Blaming the shrinking economy on bad weather is unbelievably limp. That an economy could so vulnrable is amazing. But not surprising. Osborne feels no pain, but everyone else does.

697. Andy Gray could embarrass and subvert the Murdoch 'acquisition' of BSkyB. So, he had to go in order to provide a 'demonstration' of responsible and decisive action.

698. Carbon capture theory and the specious subject of climate control. The Hypothesis and Theory is now promoted predictably as 'fact' with no question about the validity of the reasons.

699. Carbon capture theory and climate control. No question about the validity of the reasons.