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  • EP is a community blog and forum. So, if you are writing on consumerism, credit debt you can cross post here and link over to your own blog. You have to register (see upper right column).

    Then, in the middle column are other blogs we like, there mainly for fast moving content which is also in depth.

    Check out credit slips blog. Elizabeth Warren is affiliated with that one.

    Every Friday I hunt to see what I can find online that I can embed of great videos/documentaries on anything economically related that isn't pure corporate fiction or some other type of fiction. Many of them are obscure and while I'm not sure how this whole embedding these super in depth, high quality films helps those who made them get paid, they assuredly deserve more viewers and glad they are available.

    I watched this one when it first came out, put it on VHS and watched it a couple of more times. Some of the Frontlines are like that, you cannot get all of the information crammed in one of these in just one view.

    Reply to: Friday Movie Night - The Secret History of the Credit Card   15 years 11 months ago
    EPer:
  • Thank you for getting this incredible video to more people.
    My voyage of discovery started a while ago when I found the book "Empire of Debt" by Bonner and Wiggin, who were also involved in the DVD "IOUSA". This book and other reading led me to "The Secret History of the Credit Card" and then to "Maxed Out" by James D. Scurlock in book form and DVD. In quick succession, I found the DVD's "Time Bomb:Americas Debt Crisis", "In Debt We Trust" and the one that really got me thinking about Consumerism, "Century of Self" by Adam Curtis.
    Two other books have proved useful for me, "Affluenza" and "The Overspent American". Liz Warren has really got my CPU humming (With the book, "The Two Income Trap") on the topic of how to create sustained abundance on two incomes, rather than debt.

    I have my own blogs now and hope to record a podcast that covers the history of consumer debt in segments. My goal is to help Boomers get out of the trap and keep new generations from getting in.

    Reply to: Friday Movie Night - The Secret History of the Credit Card   15 years 11 months ago
  • It's more than just job loss. It's more than just companies paying less taxes on profits.

    There is the loss of income tax revenue to the Fed Gov. Those still employed in the US will need to make up the difference for this.

    And there is a substantial loss to Main Street USA. When wages go out of the country, they are spent out of the country.
    .....................................................

    How to stop it? As with alcoholism, it must begin with the acknowledgment that a problem exists. A frightening number of us have bought into the hoax that Americans will benefit from this. 'Reeducation' is needed.

    It is necessary to determine the true cost of every job offshored, identify who is actually picking up the tab for this, publish it in high-visibility locations, and repeat it, over and over.

    It is also necessary to debunk the myths that the Global Corporation has transcended the Federal Gov. Stockholders are not a super-class of citizens. Wall Street exists at the pleasure of the American people -- not the other way around. Sleepers, awaken!

    Judging by the failed bills of the recent past, we will need to clean house in the Senate, as well. The biggest roadblock to repairing our economy is going to be the US Senate.

    Once these things have been done, the way will be clear. It will no longer seem impossible to repair, as it does now.

    Reply to: We're Going to Stop Offshore Outsourcing, Really, Swear!   15 years 11 months ago
    EPer:
  • Maybe more people will realise how the Indians (and Chinese) will dominate as outlined by the above post.
    We are letting them do it. Off shoring is a illusion and trap. It is doubtful that the savings are really there when you take into account language difficulties, the threat of IP loss, poor quality (software developed offshore is not better) and many other factors.
    Throwing whole sections of a business over the wall to be outsourced is simply an abdication of management responsibility.
    It strikes me also that a 'strategy' to suppress the cost of labour in the US and UK has backfired and it is now leading to the rapid hollowing out of these economies. This will accelerate as the Chinese and Indians have cash to acquire what are increasingly cheap assets.

    Reply to: Exactly WHY are we bailing out Cerberus Capital Management?   15 years 11 months ago
    EPer:
  • Bloomberg is reporting GMAC will get$6.3 billion of TARP money after turning themselves into a bank.

    Reply to: What's in a Name? Fed Approves GMAC to become "bank"   15 years 11 months ago
    EPer:
  • went and offshore outsourcing hundreds of thousands of jobs also. then Citigroup sold their entire IT to TATA for billions right at the time of the bail out. TATA is the India conglomerate who has made billions by basically undercutting U.S. workers and getting large offshore outsourcing contracts from U.S. firms.

    What is more absurd is how this never makes it to the Press. If these companies want U.S. tax dollars one would think a condition should be they have to hire U.S. workers for U.S. jobs at least.

    Reply to: Exactly WHY are we bailing out Cerberus Capital Management?   15 years 11 months ago
    EPer:
  • Here is how it seems to work: Indian staffing companies make billions of dollars by replacing western workers. Then those Indian companies use the money to buy established western companies. Once the western companies have been acquired, the first thing the Indian companies do is fire whatever western workers are still there. Try to follow this trend to it's logical conclusion.

    Threat of big job cuts at Jaguar and Corus
    > Tata, the Indian conglomerate that owns Jaguar Land Rover and Corus, is planning to make thousands of UK workers redundant next month unless they receive government financial backing.

    http://www.guardian.co.uk/business/2008/dec/21/jaguar-tata-unemployment-car-industry-corus

    Government backing? So Indians replace western workers, makes billions, buys western companies - fires all the western workers there. Then the Indian companies demand a bailout by the western tax payers?

    It's almost funny, in a sad kind of way. But, what is also funny, in a strange kind of way, is that the US and UK just roll over and let it happen.

    Reply to: Exactly WHY are we bailing out Cerberus Capital Management?   15 years 11 months ago
    EPer:
  • Great in fo, thanks

    Reply to: What's in a Name? Fed Approves GMAC to become "bank"   15 years 11 months ago
  • Avoiding stress, especially during the holidays, should be the goal. Instead, we are driven to the bigbox to get the best deals. The 'best deals' allows the one merchant over another merchant to separate you from your money. Money that does not go as far as it use to. Money that is earned through hard labor. Money, that continues to lose it's value on a daily basis. And while losing value, it is de-valueing your laboring worth.
    How we commemorate this time of year, needs an overhaul. Though there is a number of Holidays at this time of year, it is only the Christian Holiday of CHRISTMAS that is commercialized. How have the Jews and the Muslims kept their holidays sacred and free from the over indulgence that the Christian's have? Keeping it simple! Some Christians have opted to highlight the fact that Christmas is a Birthday and not a Holiday. Others have opted to donate the money they would have spent on holiday gifts to their favorite charity. While others have decided to cut their extravagance in half. What ever way you choose is right for you. Just knowing you have a choice can bring PEACE of mind and self preservation. Be kind to yourself and let PEACE be with you. You will need to be strong for the years to come. Happy Christmas and Merry Holidays to All

    Reply to: Skipping the "Made in China" Christmas   15 years 11 months ago
    EPer:
  • Which is why the Chinese and Japanese seem desperate to prop up the dollar. But notice this is yet another Ponzi scheme, if I have my terminology correct. They're just scared of what will happen when the dollar tanks, even though it means that they get in deeper and deeper by accumulating more dollars, which means their situation will be even worse when the dollar finally pops. It's amazing to me -- first the Masters of the Universe totally blow it, and now we're witnessing the Chinese and Japanese (and Europeans, etc) in a mad dash off the cliff.

    JR on Grist

    Reply to: Why Japanese Automakers Support a Detroit Rescue Plan.   15 years 11 months ago
    EPer:
  • Fortunately my parents decided to stop celebrating Christmas when I was still young, so I never got into the habit. I tell all my friends and family not to get anything for me because I'm not going to get them anything, and if they buy me anything it will just make me feel bad.
    The reason my parents stopped celebrating Christmas was because of the focus on consumerism. That was three decades ago. Things have only gotten worse since then.

    America has a disease called consumerism, and Christmas is the pinnacle of that sickness.

    Reply to: Skipping the "Made in China" Christmas   15 years 11 months ago
    EPer:
  • You guys rock. Cheers!

    Reply to: Skipping the "Made in China" Christmas   15 years 11 months ago
    EPer:
  • Ironically, propping up the dollar may be counterproductive.

    A weak dollar promotes American manufacturing, and it increases the price of imported oil. That provides a good incentive to produce fuel efficient vehicles.

    In the long run, a devaluation of the dollar may allow us to write off a lot of debt through currency devaluation, which will be offset by deflation in commodity prices like corn.

    Reply to: Why Japanese Automakers Support a Detroit Rescue Plan.   15 years 11 months ago
  • As I argued a few months ago in a post called "Globalization Death Watch, part 3" (it certainly deserves a series, no?), the dollar looks to me like another bubble (lasted a long time, I admit). First we had the dot com bubble -- I and osthers thought it was ridiculous, and eventually it popped. Then real estate went through the roof -- I and others thought it was a bubble, and it popped. Now, will the dollar be the next to go? Forecasting a halving of the value of the dollar seems to indicate that the answer will be yes.

    JR on Grist

    Reply to: Why Japanese Automakers Support a Detroit Rescue Plan.   15 years 11 months ago
    EPer:
  • It's a cool day (20) here in the Hoosier State, but it's supposed to be in the 60s by Sunday. And for the first time in a week, the sun is out.

    Now that we all are older, we don't get started at the crack of dawn. I'm just hoping to get my brother moving before noon.

    Reply to: Skipping the "Made in China" Christmas   15 years 11 months ago
  • I decided on gift certificates for Borders

    A gentle suggestion: Search out your local bookstore, and get gift certs from them. There's still a few left, Amazon hasn't killed them all off yet.

    If you can't find one, think of Powells as an alternative. If you've been to Portland, you'll know what a wonderful local institution Powells is.

    There's still time for New Year's presents.

    Reply to: Skipping the "Made in China" Christmas   15 years 11 months ago
    EPer:
  • Cheers!

    Reply to: Skipping the "Made in China" Christmas   15 years 11 months ago
    EPer:
  • Merry Christmas. Wishing you paid Holidays.

    Made in America? You must mean our credit cards.

    They're asking for another four years -- in a just world, they'd get 10 to 20 ~~ Dennis Kucinich

    Reply to: Skipping the "Made in China" Christmas   15 years 11 months ago
    EPer:
  • actual insurer here, and since that's the case, why isn't the whole industry nationalized, so if you want to securitize debt you have to go to the government.

    It would allow the government to regulate the industry, if there is a government monopoly the government decides the terms of deals, and could potentially provide a new funding source for the federal government.

    I mean if there's a trillion dollar credit default swap market, and there's a 10% charge to secure the debt, that's $100 billion in new revenue a year.

    Reply to: AIG unloads $16 Billion in credit default swaps on the Fed   15 years 11 months ago
  • NDD picked that up at the bottom of his post and it's disgusting. They ran out of suckers for their ponzi scheme and now dumped it on the taxpayer.

    Reply to: AIG unloads $16 Billion in credit default swaps on the Fed   15 years 11 months ago
    EPer:

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