Don't bother educating Boon Me.

He and Ulysses is beyond any help.

Boon Me>> Next your telling me that unless one is catholic, one is leftish? You are a sad character. A tribute to the sad people your worship.

Don't know where you're coming from pal but give it up...

All you do here is bash either me or Ulysses G.

Not one iota of constructive input from you of any substance.

On Topic: The term 'Old Europe' is apt. Watch for example, the economy of Poland eclipse France in the near future. If it weren't for a French company like Schlumberger and an aircraft builder or two, the whole place would be on the dole.

I should give it up, you say?

I wrote a statement, Ulysses called it a lie, then he fails to provide any background as to why it would be. The he lies, posts something that doesn't prove his stance...he refuses to aswer the questions posted to him...and I should give up?

Is this another one of your 'we know the f*cked up, lets hope everyone forget about it soon'-episodes?

Btw, I'm having doubts you are really a patriot. A patriot should stand by his country for-most, not a party.

I should give it up, you say?

I wrote a statement, Ulysses called it a lie, then he fails to provide any background as to why it would be.

You asked me to provide a post in which you supported Butterfly's position. I provided one.

End of story.

A patriot should stand by his country for-most, not a party.

Could you translate this into English Mr. "Right-Wing" Benedict Arnold?

I should give it up, you say?

I wrote a statement, Ulysses called it a lie, then he fails to provide any background as to why it would be.

You asked me to provide a post in which you supported Butterfly's position. I provided one.

End of story.

A patriot should stand by his country for-most, not a party.

Could you translate this into English Mr. "Right-Wing" Benedict Arnold?

I know that you are not above lieing, so could you carefully explain how posting a post in my _own_ thread about a _false_ statement Boon Me made in _my_ thread...could possibly defending Butterfly?

Mr Clinton, is that you?

I said that you were defending Butterfly's position.

Don't worry, your comrade zzap will be back in about 3 weeks and then you will have some back-up, "Mr. Right Wing".

I wouldn't hold your breath waiting on your good buddy Butterfly however!

No matter how many MILLIONS of times you post that same emoticon over and over it's always fresh and new.

What a truly funny, clever and original guy you are lamphun.

No matter how many MILLIONS of times you post that same emoticon over and over it's always fresh and new.

What a truly funny, clever and original guy you are lamphun.

(Is that better ?)

If only lamphun were that imaginative!

If only lamphun were that imaginative!

Yeah, I added some WORDS to my post

BTW, I see the protest and strikes are still going on in France. In the news today, some students are asking for people to back down so they can get back to classes.

Maybe some of them realize that if they don't do some actual studying, they won't pass ?

If only lamphun were that imaginative!

Yeah, I added some WORDS to my post

What's the point ? Porkie regards every thread he defaces as "The Last Word".

If we took the extremist view that the "Free market" should prevail then everyone would be working 16 hour days for very little money, it's called China. What's the point of living in a developed country if you're forced to kill yourself through overwork just to enrich a small class of "entrepeneurs".

Even this was more titillating!

Just made my point about you always wanting to have the Last Word even when you have NOTHING to say. Holding back on posting might restore some of your lost respect, then again perhaps not.

You seem to be the one flapping your gums about nothing, and by the way, "self respect" doesn't even belong in your vocabulary!

You seem to be the one flapping your gums about nothing, and by the way, "self respect" doesn't even belong in your vocabulary!

"Self Abuse" however does seem to figure large in yours.

Have a nice day

You are an expert on wanking.

At least you tried a new emoticon.

If we took the extremist view that the "Free market" should prevail then everyone would be working 16 hour days for very little money, it's called China. What's the point of living in a developed country if you're forced to kill yourself through overwork just to enrich a small class of "entrepeneurs".

This is not true due to "competitive advantage".

China has a competitive advantage when it comes to the cost of labour. Therefore, labour intensive industries like manufacturing are moving there.

Western countries have been losing their manufacturing industries for decades now to be replaced by service and knowledge based industries where we still have a competitive advantage due to our superior education system and our tradition of innovation.

Countries that start industrialisation go through clear stages. Look at South Korea.

In the 50's, it was a backward nation where most of the population was engaged in agriculture.

When it started to industrialize, it had a competitive advantage due to the low cost of labour.

It started with textile manufacturing.

Once this competitive advantage didn't exist anymore due to less developed countries starting to industrialize, it switched manufacture to steel, ship-building and white goods.

Their competitive advantage with these industries is now almost gone, so, they are switching to manufacture of computers and high technology equipment.

Eventually, they will also have to enter the service and knowledge based industries, just like Japan has already done.

PS. Can you stop the flame war? It's old and boring already.

Western countries have been losing their manufacturing industries for decades now to be replaced by service and knowledge based industries where we still have a competitive advantage due to our superior education system and our tradition of innovation.

PS. Can you stop the flame war? It's old and boring already.

Unfortunately, many Western countries are pricing themselves out of competition. One drawback to having a highly educated (and innovative) population, is that nobody wants to work at menial labour jobs for low wages anymore.

I saw this years ago, when even my father refused to take a fairly easy job that paid $15.00/hour. He was semi-retired, and could get by without the work, but turned it down because he felt he was worth more (having earned much higher wages while in a union job.)

Now we see an increasing amount of the "sweaty" work being farmed out to immigrants (legal and otherwise), and a lot of other work being outsourced to third world countries in a desperate attempt to remain competitive (with some of those same countries !). Ever wonder about all the Free Trade deals that seem to be happening ? It basically started out with the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA). It was a plan for American businesses to purchase cheap natural resources from Canada and use cheap Mexican labour to make products that could compete in the international market. Hasn't worked out quite as well as some hoped it would.

Employees want increasingly higher wages. Employers want increasingly higher profit margins. TO pay the higher wages and still meet their profit goals, some have to do a number of things. Cut their workforce, outsource some of the work, hire cheaper labour (if possible), raise the price of their product, ect.

Of course, higher product prices makes those products less competitive in the global economy. In the local economies, the workers see the prices rising on everything they want and need. What do they do ? Demand higher wages and buy cheaper, imported merchandise.

It is a vicious circle that will take a major upheaval to correct.

Competition is the key.

Look at the price of airline tickets in the US and Europe since deregulation. They have plummeted.

The most profitable airline in the USA is Southwest, a budget airline.

The two most profitable airlines in Europe are Ryanair and Valueair, also budget airlines.

They stay profitable by using all resources at their disposal, more efficiently than the competition.

To bring us back to the OP, labour markets must be competitive too. If someone is not willing to do a job for a certain amount, but, there is someone that will, then the job should go to them.

This is why we go to school and university. Why reduntant workers retrain. To increase our worth in the job market. It's no accident that it's called a job market. We compete with all others.

What the USA is particularly good at and Europe (excluding the UK and Ireland) are very bad at, is job creation. This is no accident. The labour markets in the "Anglo-Saxon" economic models are much looser with less job protection.

Currently systemic unemployment in the US and UK is about 4%. In France 10% and Germany about 8%.

If you believe in the free market economy (which I do), then you also have to believe in free markets for goods, capital and labour. Two out of three is not good enough.

I believe in a completely free market where to goverments only position is to regulate any oligopoly/monopoly-situations, but never interfering with normal day to day buissnesses.

I hope to see a de-regulation in trade-walls from the US and EU, that are only there to keep up inflated prices, secure domestic jobs and virtually creates in imbalance in the world trade market, making sure the poor countries can really never get on an equal level.

It's my hope that in 50 years time (or less!) many 'third world' countries will have had so long time without war and enough time without unfair tradewalls to be able eliviate themselfs to 'our' standard.

Progress isn't a bad thing.

The funny part of France's latest round of riots is what they're rioting about...

Not only has France backed down and given in to the protestors, they have dropped another proposed law that would have banned smoking in bars, cafes and other public areas.

Some say it was due to fears of even more protests (read: riots).

How ever, one person was quoted as saying "smokers are too lazy to protest".

It is estimated that 25% of the French population smokes, and smoking allegedly causes 60,000 deaths a year in France (slightly less than the annual death toll from the riots)

I know when something isn't right.

Zzap, the next suspension will be final.

I will anounce it here.

If you are so stupid to carry on flaming members, I see no reason to treat your suspensions in confidence.

You had 30 days and I added 14 for further <deleted> from you.

Shape up or go elsewhere........ try Losers.com

The last 2 comments don't make much sense, I suggest to delete those as well as the preceding ones which have been deleted already.

BTW, making a public announcement is different from revealing info selectively in private.

The former is more than welcome, the latter seems to me rather questionable.

BTW, making a public announcement is different from revealing info selectively in private.

The former is more than welcome, the latter seems to me rather questionable.

Yeah, but the result is still the same.

BTW, you'd fit in great over in losers.com!

French Companies are prob the number one and number tow players in the Rubbish collection game in Australia.

They are good at something

BTW, making a public announcement is different from revealing info selectively in private.

The former is more than welcome, the latter seems to me rather questionable.

Yeah, but the result is still the same.

BTW, you'd fit in great over in losers.com!