Cameron says there is no alternative to austerity….This is complete nonsense – we can borrow money at 3% on international markets and then invest it in infrastructure which makes 6%, combined heat and power district heating,chpdh being one, then this will make us richer, employ people, take them of the dole and please the markets […]
Read MoreWho's to blame for high commodity – energy, food, metals, prices – it's the producers, stupid, not the banks and speculators
Happy New Year everyone. This article of mine re markets might be of interest (also below). http://seekingalpha.com/article/245574-who-s-to-blame-for-high-commodity-prices-it-s-the-producers-stupid v=1294568746&source=tracking_notify In my view commodity markets have two price boundary ‘trend-lines’: a ‘sellers’ market’ upper boundary, where consumer demand destruction sets in, and a ‘buyers’ market’ lower boundary, where ‘production destruction’ sets in. The current situation, where finance […]
Read MoreMoney, banking, credit, Adam Smith, finance, central banking etc, Michael Durkin channel4 film
Tony Let’s have a critical look at the underlying ideas, shall we? On 15 November 2010 08:43, Tony Locke <tlocke@> wrote: A brilliant review, but as Lucy Mangan admits, she doesn’t really criticize the underlying ideas. My response to the criticisms she does make are: > I may not agree that public services are a […]
Read MoreThe connection between Dixieland, Weighing the Earth, the First World War and Free Markets
Dixieland is the line separating Maryland and the South from the rest of the USA, and the actual line was surveyed in the 1780 by two English men, Mason and Dixon who plotted the contentious Mason Dixon line – hence the name. (well its is one commonly accepted explanation). They noted that there were systematic […]
Read MoreThe relationship between our rotten political system, the voting system and energy and other vital policy issues.
Dear All, forgive me for inflicting yet again my views on the relationship between our rotten political system, the voting system and energy and other (health, environment, media, financial, tax, justice) vital policy issues. In a nutshell, it seems blindingly obvious, ( to me anyway) that with our system, where the PM wields enormous power, […]
Read MoreThe film "Minority Report" – Pre-Crime, and Pre-Bribe
People may have seen the rather good (IMHOP) film “Minority Report” starring Tom Cruise. The basic plot idea is that in the future the authorities have a means of detecting serious crimes just before they are about to happen, using a sort of hi tech clairvoyant. Tom Cruise and his hi tech cops then zoom […]
Read MoreGraduate attacks outsourcing of UK water engineering jobs to India etc as a cheap electoral gimmick by way of keeping water bills down.
The consultant I work for is undergoing a major redundancy process in the water engineering side of the business, with the majority of jobs being lost at graduate level and below.
We have been informed that the reasons for this are that the draft determination from Ofwat appears particularly tough and as such, we won’t be getting any work out of the water companies for possibly as much as a year. It is also apparent that when the work does start to come, unachievable efficiency will be required, forcing consultants to “offshore” work to India and the like.
To make graduates redundant in this country, only to employ staff in India in their place does not seem acceptable. If we, as an industry, are left with this as the only option to be able to survive, then it would seem that Ofwat has got it wrong and we should be doing more to influence its decision making.
This is a very important issue for the country as we have already practically lost manufacturing as an industry and cannot afford to lose construction skills overseas.
It is also clear that the reason for the harsh determination is that the government doesn’t want to put water bills up because it is still hoping to win the approaching General Election.
This is unacceptable and is destroying an industry. What is the ICE doing about this?
Joe Andrews, mailto:joekayaker at hotmail dot com
Read MoreAlternative Financing Models for Transportation – A Case Study of Land Taxation in Utah
Recent events have highlighted the consequences of inadequate attention to infrastructure funding. Current funding strategies focus on fuel taxes, transfers from general funds, user fees, toll roads, congestion pricing, and using technology to enhance the fee structure of the current system. This article examines another alternative, a property tax focused on the value of […]
Read MoreA reader writes – the history of energy resources and the economy
Dear Hugh Thanks for this. My own view is that relatively low oil prices, which set the bench mark for all other primary energy sources, was the reason why the world economy was able to expand so fast. Energy prices work their way through to all other prices including salaries. and these then work back […]
Read MoreEnergy is everything – what is really behind the financial crisis – something which eludes bankers and economists
Great article on the present complete inability of economists and politicians to see what is actually going on: See full thing at: http://www.onlineopinion.com.au/view.asp?article=8817&page=1 It is fascinating to watch the behaviour of our political and business leaders as they attempt to cope with the world’s deepening financial crisis. It is becoming clear that they don’t […]
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