capitalism

Ready for round two?

Written By: Anthony R0bins - Date published: 9:02 am, August 6th, 2011 - 79 comments

The global financial system, which has never properly recovered from the recession, is poised on the brink of a second crash.  The headlines are a parade of bad news…

Update: US credit rating downgraded from AAA to AA+ with negative outlook (same as NZ). Announcement was made after close of markets. It’s gonna hit the fan on Monday.

NZRU to blame for rugby rip-off

Written By: Zetetic - Date published: 11:07 am, August 5th, 2011 - 48 comments

Adidas was founded by a Nazi who lied that his own brother was SS to get him in deeper trouble when the brother was captured by the US. That cut-throat attitude persists. I don’t know why people want to wear All Blacks shirts. Adult equivalent of a 5 year old wearing a superman costume. But the NZRU shouldn’t let them be ripped off like this.

Key’s own goal on poverty

Written By: Eddie - Date published: 6:09 am, August 3rd, 2011 - 56 comments

A bad mistake by John Key in the House yesterday. Phil Goff asked him about the gap between rich and poor. Key cited a new report on falling inequality. But he should have read the report properly. It credits Labour policies for driving down poverty and inequality.

All hail our vampire overlords

Written By: Eddie - Date published: 11:14 am, August 1st, 2011 - 96 comments

How did the wealth of the 151 richest people grow by 10% of GDP when the economy grew only 1.5%? Mostly by revaluing existing assets. Not a lot of ‘wealth creation’ from our self-appointed Randian Heroes, just book changes. But, apparently, we owe everything to the elite and need to let them suck up more of our wealth for themselves.

Joyce and corporate handouts

Written By: Guest post - Date published: 11:38 am, July 28th, 2011 - 105 comments

National has handed Telecom a new monopoly to replace its old one. As landlines go the way of the Dodo, fibre optic cable is the new natural monopoly, and we’re learning that Steven Joyce was talking to Telecom as far back as 2009 to ensure they go the lion’s share of the government handouts for fibre and a virtual monopoly in the market.

Teetering on the brink

Written By: Anthony R0bins - Date published: 8:23 am, July 23rd, 2011 - 84 comments

Over the last couple of months two potential crises have been unfolding in two very different countries. Greece and America both looked to be in danger of defaulting on their huge debts and triggering a cascade of disastrous consequences.  The situation is still unfolding…

Another right whinger

Written By: Eddie - Date published: 11:50 am, July 6th, 2011 - 18 comments

There’s an odd contradiction in right-wing ‘thought’. On the one hand, they’re Randian heroes, the wealth creators, modern day Atlases who support the world while ‘parasites’ try to take their wealth and bring them down. On the other hand, they’re victims who need subsidies and special treatment. Fed Farmers CEO Conor English embodies the contradiction.

Squeezing the life out of the economy

Written By: Anthony R0bins - Date published: 7:13 am, June 20th, 2011 - 41 comments

Are we “roaring out of recession”?  No.  Is there an “aggressive recovery”?  No.  What’s going wrong?  The problem is that the Nats are squeezing the life out of the economy.

SkyCity shows need to clamp down on lobbyists

Written By: Zetetic - Date published: 11:11 am, June 14th, 2011 - 22 comments

“Substitute the words “convention centre” for “suitcase of cash” and the transaction looks very clear.”*

National wants to change the rules for another foreign corporate. Wouldn’t move an inch for Kiwirail jobs. Maybe that’s because Kiwirail didn’t donate 100K to National (and Labour) in the past decade like SkyCity did.

Tell Key to keep Pharmac

Written By: r0b - Date published: 7:25 am, June 2nd, 2011 - 35 comments

Like the ACC, Pharmac is a Kiwi institution that delivers benefits to everyone at a lower cost than other countries.  National has got ACC on the butcher’s block.  We must make sure that Pharmac doesn’t follow.

How’s this for employment conditions?

Written By: the sprout - Date published: 1:00 pm, May 24th, 2011 - 33 comments

Here’s a stunning headline from the Herald on the glamour of working at SkyCity casino:

Flea collars for SkyCity staff

Perhaps next they could introduce compulsory de-lousing baths at the end of each shift?

Krugman: The unwisdom of elites

Written By: r0b - Date published: 12:32 pm, May 15th, 2011 - 19 comments

Paul Krugman on the real reasons for the economic carnage.  Not social spending policies, but the daft economic policies of the right-wing “policy elites”.  Our focus should not be on slashing spending, but on National’s stupid, unaffordable tax cuts.

All quiet at the Commerce Commission

Written By: Guest post - Date published: 10:30 am, May 5th, 2011 - 23 comments

Since Paula Redstock was pushed out of the Commerce Commission with a lot of the other brilliant staff, there has not been one cartel or monopoly abuse case prosecuted by the Commerce Commission. This is the very same Commission that was previously saving us millions of dollars each year and paying for itself with its court settlements.

The Marketers

Written By: Guest post - Date published: 7:01 pm, April 24th, 2011 - 30 comments

I got involved in marketing through my business and was a firm believer. I spent tens of thousands of dollars on marketing, advertising and training as most companies do; but in the end it felt like I was selling my soul and I quit the system. So much effort is expended trying to sell something to people that they either couldn’t afford or didn’t need.