What makes you grin? Antidote to grumpy thread

[gallondrunk]

!!POLITICAL WARNING!! Interesting graph on my pretentious homepage news website came up earlier, for all those who say we're so up shit creek it transpires that of all the world's advanced economies, only Sweden, Switzerland, the States and Norway are less likely to default on their national debts than we are:

 

http://www.businessinsider.com/presenti ... s-rates-21

 

[DULL AS FUCK WARNING] You can't really default on a currency which you are sovereign in, mainly because you print it yourself. Foreign debts, sure, but not debt in the national currency. The Euro is fucked for that very reason; Greece, Spain, Ireland no longer have sovereign currencies.

 

The whole fucking "we're going to cut everything because we've run out of money and might default" austerity shit is complete bull driven by ideology. In the late 40's 70% of our GDP was public spending (its 40-something now), and we didn't default then, and we sure as hell won't now.

 

Go read http://bilbo.economicoutlook.net/blog/ for more

 

Sorry to hijack

[willswitchengage]

"we're going to cut everything because we've run out of money and might default"

 

Likewise... http://www.businessinsider.com/david-ca ... ent-2012-4

 

Petrol's still going up by 3p in two months, booooooo

[gallondrunk]

"we're going to cut everything because we've run out of money and might default"

 

Likewise... http://www.businessinsider.com/david-ca ... ent-2012-4

 

Petrol's still going up by 3p in two months, booooooo

 

Indeed

 

I think some food for thought for the austerity pushers would be out of those three economies, the one recovering quickest is the only one out of the three which hasn't fallen hook, line and sinker for the austerity argument.

[messerschmitt owner]

I hate political arguments on forums, but simple economics tells me you cannot spend more than you earn for very long before being up shit creek without a paddle. It is as true of me as it is of a government! The rules are the same - spend too much without the ability to finance it all and feel the pain as you have to cut back.

[gallondrunk]

I hate political arguments on forums, but simple economics tells me you cannot spend more than you earn for very long before being up shit creek without a paddle. It is as true of me as it is of a government! The rules are the same - spend too much without the ability to finance it all and feel the pain as you have to cut back.

 

The rules aren't the same. For one, when you or I run out of money, we can't go and print more of it, which is precisely what any nation with a sovereign currency can do.

 

Put it this way. The US deficit is something like $15 trillion. Would it make any difference if it was $10 trillion? Or $20? Or $100? Not really. To all intents and purposes it's an imaginary number. It doesn't exist in the same way a fiver in your pocket exists.

 

The lure of the austerity argument is that people think that governments and individuals have the same economics. Nothing could be further from the truth.

 

What disturbs me is that people (esp. those with low incomes) are suffering immense hardship as a result of that misunderstanding.

[BMC Dan]

Morris Oxford miser wrote:

thats great, a classic is the only car i would trust to do a trip like that .reliable and if it should break down you have got 99.9%chance of getting it running again unless its a major faliure .these plastic monstrosities today, absolutely no style or class with boring plastic interiors, seats that give you a numb backside and that plastic walnut giving it that air of quality.im not suprised before long if you break wind inside one of these things a sensor will put it in limp home mode.

[messerschmitt owner]

I hate political arguments on forums, but simple economics tells me you cannot spend more than you earn for very long before being up shit creek without a paddle. It is as true of me as it is of a government! The rules are the same - spend too much without the ability to finance it all and feel the pain as you have to cut back.

 

The rules aren't the same. For one, when you or I run out of money, we can't go and print more of it, which is precisely what any nation with a sovereign currency can do.

 

Put it this way. The US deficit is something like $15 trillion. Would it make any difference if it was $10 trillion? Or $20? Or $100? Not really. To all intents and purposes it's an imaginary number. It doesn't exist in the same way a fiver in your pocket exists.

 

The lure of the austerity argument is that people think that governments and individuals have the same economics. Nothing could be further from the truth.

 

What disturbs me is that people (esp. those with low incomes) are suffering immense hardship as a result of that misunderstanding.

 

while you can print more money, there comes a reckoning and it normally involves spending more on debt repayment or defaulting and running to the IMF. As an individual, I can't run to the IMF, so I'm up shit creek with no money and no house.

 

However, the spending your way out of a recession only works if you spend the money on capital projects and don't squander it on paying people to sit on their arses.

 

No one has yet addressed the major issue in the world today and that is over population.

 

However, back on topic - XM estate beckons this weekend!

[Conrad D. Conelrad]

No one has yet addressed the major issue in the world today and that is over population.

 

Overpopulation, end of cheap fuel, peak oil = slow but unpleasant decline of our delicate civilisation over the next 200 years.

 

We will look back on these as the golden years, economics forgotten.

[willswitchengage]

I've actually got a couple of books in the post* right now on peak oil and sustainable negative growth (weird concept to get your head around).

 

*impending doom has began early though with me - the collapse of civilisation has started with me thinking oh the mail's late, long bank holiday weekend, then Waterstones email me this morning "your order has been dispatched", two weeks after I sent it. Fucks sake!

 

the IMF

 

Ahh, the old friend. They'll bail you out, sure, but then for eternity impose draconian right wing economic policies on you for eternity (look at Chile, Argentina, soon the PIGS)

 

(most) non-commercial drivers still don't really have the right to moan about the fuel duty increase though - you made a concious choice to drive a car less efficient than your parents and to have a right foot glued to the floor. Buy a Fiat panda or something, drive slower and don't drive six miles to Spar to buy a sodding sandwich.

[Angrydicky]

Morris Oxford miser wrote:

thats great, a classic is the only car i would trust to do a trip like that .reliable and if it should break down you have got 99.9%chance of getting it running again unless its a major faliure .these plastic monstrosities today, absolutely no style or class with boring plastic interiors, seats that give you a numb backside and that plastic walnut giving it that air of quality.im not suprised before long if you break wind inside one of these things a sensor will put it in limp home mode.

 

Haha, most of the people on that forum seem to be like that.

[Ian Nexus]

The local petrol station at the other end of my road sells "Old English 800" in 32oz bottles for $1.49, so 1.6 UK pints of beer for 93p and tastes better than that stuff I used to get from Lidl when I lived in UK.

[Louise2cv]

Welsh Government uses your Tax...

 

...to brainwash preschoolers to be shite lovers!

 

This series also featured a green T2 camper in another episode:

 

Here is the lovely Heti and her vehicles of choice (the 2cv features quite a lot):

 

 

This, I believe is a hacked up 2cv:

 

This car belongs to an inventor type, it quite often goes wrong, same series also feature a soft top Ford Ka:

 

saved the best 'til last:

 

The future looks good for Welsh kids!

[Cavcraft]

Just done something like 177 miles in the Honda, most of it doing 'just over' the motorway speed limit to Leeds and back. Bombed along a treat and (by my usually rubbarsh maths) has done in the region of 35+mpg. Chuffed with that, it wasn't always easy maintaining one speed due to busy roads/knobheads/time taken to get back up to speed if road was slow but the car ran like clockwork. I'm now 'officially' removing it from sale for a while as the economy and reliabilty means it can stay for a bit yet.

[Louise2cv]

Also the Simca Rallye Thread.

[vulgalour]

This picture. Thanks Dollywobbler

 

[michiel]

Range Rover causes landslide?

[RoadworkUK]

My Mums birthday today, we're going out for lunch later then I'm going home. This means that I'm here but all my HiFi and CDs are ten miles away.

 

So I'm currently listening to Animals by Pink Floyd on a Bush portable cassette player. Superb!

[Mr_Bo11ox]

Just been and don some shopping at Waitrose rather than the usual Morrisons. The price of stuff would normally certify that as a grump, but in fact the sheer number of hot Cheshire milfs at Waitrose more or less justifies the price premium.

[Station]

I sold my 300ZX, the man (Daveyboy20 on Retro Rides) took it away yesterday! I bought a Corolla off him in 2008 which I then sold to Cavette, and it then ended up back near me again!

[dollywobbler]

Just been and don some shopping at Waitrose rather than the usual Morrisons. The price of stuff would normally certify that as a grump, but in fact the sheer number of hot Cheshire milfs at Waitrose more or less justifies the price premium.

 

I discovered this when a load of gay chums forced me to accompany them to a Waitrose in Cheltenham. My eyes were on bleedin' stalks! Which is just as well as my pals weren't exactly rushing. Sadly, there is no Waitrose in Aberystwyth. There is a Morrisons, but it was full of water yesterday and the totty levels just aren't there.

[tonedepear]

The Waitrose in Sheffield town centre has approximately NONE of that kind of appeal judging from my sporadic jaunts over the years. It's near the DVLA office though, and sells sandwiches/tabs.

[4x4xfaz]

 

This ALWAYS works for me!

 

 

[Cavcraft]

I sold my 300ZX, the man (Daveyboy20 on Retro Rides) took it away yesterday! I bought a Corolla off him in 2008 which I then sold to Cavette, and it then ended up back near me again!

 

Oh aye, I'm pretty sure I either sold a car to him or bought one off him too, quite possibly both. Doesn't he have a Mk3 Capri with some sort of rear spoiler arrangement?

[willswitchengage]

AS cycling blog... went for a "steep hill challenge" as part of a 37 mile round trip today, painful and got covered in insects, but the view from the top was quite rewarding:

 

Sutton Bank by willswitchengage, on Flickr

[Station]

I sold my 300ZX, the man (Daveyboy20 on Retro Rides) took it away yesterday! I bought a Corolla off him in 2008 which I then sold to Cavette, and it then ended up back near me again!

 

Oh aye, I'm pretty sure I either sold a car to him or bought one off him too, quite possibly both. Doesn't he have a Mk3 Capri with some sort of rear spoiler arrangement?

 

Yeah, with the S13 engine!

 

[scaryoldcortina]

 

Kitchen is starting to go back together! Flue finally finished, plaster mostly dry so today I fitted the pipework and the boiler, but because I'm not a competent person as defined by the Gas Safety (Installation & Use) regulations it remains disconnected until tomorrow when someone with the right qualifications can connect it to the main supply and do a leak check.

[Cavcraft]

AS cycling blog... went for a "steep hill challenge" as part of a 37 mile round trip today, painful and got covered in insects, but the view from the top was quite rewarding:

 

Sutton Bank by willswitchengage, on Flickr

 

Fark that!

That must have been a bit of a slog, fair play to you.

[TimothyClaypole]

PM me regarding some new kitchen units please Mr Scary.

 

 

 

 

(free to a good home as the container they are in is costing me a small fortune).

[scaryoldcortina]

I have only one question.... Where?

[HillmanImp]

Idiot tries welding inside Chrysler PT Cruiser and makes it immeasurably better:

 

 

Got it off detailing world as a chap at work was going on about it. Amazingly nobody is asking any questions about the welding and are just congratualting him about washing some cloth covers and cleaning an ashtray on a c-max

 

http://www.detailingworld.co.uk/forum/showthread.php?t=267743