The Off-Topic Thread (the BEST thread ever!)

[eldargal]

There's been a lot of talk about the Australian economy in certain circles here, too. The fact is austerity has failed in Europe and stimulus has worked in Australia (and to a lesser extent the US). Whether or not stimulus would have worked here is a different question but I can't see how it would have failed more comprehensively. Now we have a interguvmental institution telling a guvmint it's fine to steal its populations money.


Edit: Guess whose mother just finished Dawn of War Soulstorm and wants to learn how to paint? Cunning Plan Phase III begins.

[isotope99]

The problem is that this was a debt fuelled recession so we went into it with high debt levels and low liquid assets which limits the room for maneouvre (whether you blame on this on the previous government or more general short-sightedness from all political leaders is up to you).

We're now trapped between the proverbial rock and hard place with no borrowing capacity to spend our way out of the recession without causing punitively high interest rates and private individuals not being willing to commit their capital in uncertain times.

You're then faced with only bad choices:

i) Tax the rich and send them running to other countries taking their money with them;
ii) Tax everyone because that's always popular;
iii) Cut spending to keep interest rates down which doesn't make people feel like spending money;
iv) Inflate away the debt putting pressure on household spending by raising prices (we call this quantitive easing or the Games Workshop option);
v) Make your currency weaker to cut the real terms value of the debt but at the same time making all imports pricier (we're an island with low manufacturing so that's basically everything);
vi) Invade some country that can't possibly defend itself and nick all their resources (hello Libya, remember how we bombed your army back to the stone age?).

As to the US and Australia, Australia has a strong resource base and commodity prices have stayed high giving them strong assets and the US is just so huge and fundamental to the world's economy that they can keep borrowing for a while yet (but not indefinitely, hence the tension with republicans worried about the debt levels and the fiscal cliffs we keep hearing about whenever the government runs out of money and doesn't want to face any of the unpleasant choices outlined above).

[Psychosplodge]

You are less disappointed if you are are a realist. Cynicism, especially the kind of faux-world weary nonsense put on by pampered geeks is just obnoxious.

Now you're just arguing semantics

So I finally understand your tangent reference, it was about breasts! I've wasted far too much time reading this thread now......

Boobs for the boob god...
Keep going, plenty left to go.

[DrLove42]

Morning all!

Great if somewhat exhausting weekend, even if all the awesome resin was blown out the water by new Eldar
I also got my Necromunda Farseer in the end! Only cost £50 including P&P and customs....(so P&P and customs nearly doubled the cost...)

Ready for an exciting week of hard work? Me neither...

[Psychosplodge]

Cool. Now get it painted.

[DrLove42]

Gotta turn up from Canada first...

[Psychosplodge]

Excuses, excuses...

[Minibem]

Never realised that there was a model! Will be intreagued to see it!

This weekend will be good and am looking forward to a 4 day week next week, got to love Bank Holidays!

[Minibem]

Never realised that there was a model! Will be intreagued to see it!

This weekend will be good and am looking forward to a 4 day week next week, got to love Bank Holidays!

[Psychosplodge]

Just taking a moment to kill everyone with squee



So now that's out the way. I've discovered something I hate more than cyclists. ****ing scooterists, they do everything that annoying bad cyclists do, but at a more difficult speed to pass and with a tinny whine and the smell of lawnmower engine...