http://www.forbes.com/sites/stevekeen/2015/02/28/what-is-money-and-how-is-it-created/ This is Steve Keen at his best, explaining what money actually is, rather than what most economists, politicians and commentators like to pretend it is. Understanding the true nature of money is the first step towards making money work properly for all of us.
https://flipchartfairytales.wordpress.com/2015/01/05/are-the-chancellors-spending-cuts-feasible/ Here’s another good article from Rick at Flip Chart Fairy Tales about the spending cuts being proposed by the UK government in order to eliminate the deficit. He questions the feasibility of the scale of the cuts. Many of us also question the idea that any cuts are necessary, and what mechanism will replace…
Come the glorious day, someone else will pay
Originally posted on Flip Chart Fairy Tales:
Last week, the FT ran a series of articles on public spending cuts. Its summary: Half way through 9 years of planned austerity, the FT has uncovered that more than half of government cuts are still to come. And they will be twice as large as David Cameron’s…
Scottish Independence: Status Quo (Whatever You Want)
“Should Scotland be an independent country?” On the 18th of September people living in Scotland will have the opportunity at the ballot box to answer Yes or No. Since the date of the referendum was announced the onus has been on independence enthusiasts to bring forward arguments in support of their cause, and they have…
Handbag economics: The ideology of austerity
Originally posted on The London Economic:
By Mary Mellor, Emeritus Professor, Northumbria University George Osborne’s Autumn Statement was a classic espousal of handbag economics, so named after the saint of the handbag, Mrs Thatcher. Handbag economics is the common sense of our age. Public sectors are like households, they must live within their means, balance their…
Don’t Panic – The Truth About Population. Professor Hans Rosling telling us how it actually is. Entertaining and inspiring. Please share this far and wide.
Another great video from RSA Animate in which Roman Krznaric argues the case for empathy as a force to make the world a better place for all of us. I love his ideas for exhibits in the museum of empathy.
Here’s an illuminating post from Andy Wightman on media reports of booming prices for farmland. The detail is worth reading as it exposes the “news” as nothing more than market-boosting propaganda by the Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors, whose members live off fees from property sales. A call to journalists: if you’re too lazy/incompetent to…
If you’re interested in people and place, and how they conspire with time to build human history, have a read of this piece at fifepsychogeography.com. Wonderful stuff.
Views From The Boatshed 