Scarpa: I liked your above article so much, I have copied it into my 'treasures' selection for use in arguments with my mostly conservative friends, many of whom were workers once, have invested wisely - some in housing etc; one particular friend by winning a million-dollar law-suit (justified!) and now thinks he is the font of all wisdom .......... but they have no real understanding how an economy works. I am not much better, but know we need jobs, factories which produce stuff, or a clever silicon valley-type development somewhere; maybe use our resources better, having a treasure trove of minerals, including uranium ..........
Keep our 'clever people' here by investing in research and Silicone Valley type developments - making big capital pay for that ..... like for every dollar they want to send off-shore, take one dollar off them for an Australian forward-looking development as in 'Silicone Valley' and make damned sure it is spent that way. Support our native talents in science and don't let them take off for overseas in frustration. Finally and seriously try and drag our native brothers and sisters along into some kind of fulfilled and safe life.
I have always wondered - since I came her as a naive 20-year old - why all that spare investment capital in Australia seems to go into an inflationary housing market (and my husband 'flipped' 3 properties, after improvements - so it helped me, except I wasn't able to continue this after he died; at least he 'value-added' in a real sense, he 'rescued' old houses). It isn't good - all that excessive mortgage capital could go into developing something more productive for all of us; create new industries, give jobs to our young.
Now, that I am looking to downsize: I wonder why our fill-in buildings are so damned ugly, with many of their windows just giving views of another wall, rooms are tiny, bathrooms you can barely turn around in, but there are two of them. Reason: cheap building for fast profit; creating future slums.
There is a philosophy about that money, riches etc. can be gained by 'believing' in capitalism and, of course, voting for one of the right-wing parties, preferably the Liberals. Unless 'trained' from an early age to save every penny and invest it etc. the average person hasn't got much of a chance to join the wealthy AND there is this imbalance about where our savings go, namely into the property market which continues to blow out like a balloon.
Both parties (and I include the more lunatic fringe of the Liberal Party as liberals) are bereft of policies as to the future of this country and its young citizens.
I just watch these 'average' personalities smile, strut the stage, have ridiculous bun fights, have affairs, because, in truth, they seem to have too much time on their hands and I feel like throwing tomatoes at the TV screen - they are so predictable, boring and ordinary in their utterings and doings.
I do like your summary - not sure about the energy side of things - I do have a hankering for a 'clean' power industry, but would also consider atomic energy (South Australia could have a huge economic, scientific etc. boom out of that one, seeing the biggest uranium resource is on their lands) - but realise start-up times are long .......... safety issues are a great concern etc.
thanks for posting! (I have one question to you, Scarpa, what does 'NG' stand for? I apologise if that sounds stupid - cure me!)
Taurisk
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