Screwing the Cow

"Civilisation" is decidedly British (and I guess Australian too). "Civilization" is American English. Maybe jaguar is using an American-English spell checker?

[russotto]

Originally posted by jaguar


Grrrr why the HELL does word (set to ENGLISH english, keep trying to spell words with a Z.

Because the OED supports -ize.

[russotto]

Originally posted by jaguar
Want one reason so many people hate America? Its the unfairness of wealth, if these people weren’t in such desperate poverty they wouldn't become the 'terrorists' tw seems to be talking about.

*sigh*. I'm no fan of tarriffs, but blaming terrorism on them is a pretty bad stretch. Particularly when you check out Osama's net worth.

[warch]

Now the French are trying to protect their farmers from American farms which were grown unaturally because of our governments interventions. This all ignores the different relationship that French and Americans have with their food...quality vs quantity...

And that relationship is a key thing. I'm interested in quality. The French have a sacred, historical and cultural relationship with their food. Most Americans have no idea what cheese really is In Italy the government takes more control of foreign corporate invasion. Just cross that border and the advertisements disappear...They value, protect and perpetuate their unique historic and regional contributions to consumers.

Slowly Americana seem to becoming more aware and wary of food production and source- mainly due to genetically engineered and hormone enhanced food - and beginning to effect some change the market. The demand for quality and willingness to pay, has enabled a few smaller farmers around here to reimagine their operations- direct to consumer produce, artisnal dairy/cheese cooperatives- and there is a market. Evidence of this trend is seen in a growing corporate player like Whole Foods (for better or worse) gobbling up neighborhood co-ops and building their empire across the US.

[MaggieL]

Originally posted by Undertoad
It's $138; we're pretty suburban in my ZIP, except for a few lagging farms that are pretty much for public fun like Xmas tree farms and pumpkin picking lots.

And 19403 is right next door. Looks like the guy who runs the farm part of the Norristown Farm Park is picking up a few bucks this way.

[jaguar]

Problem is, domestic products are always going to be cheaper than foreign, even without tarrifs

NO. That is the point.
Example: we can produce rice, that without tariffs, could be sold far below the market price in Japan, transport costs included. We can do the same with lamb inside the US, and grain. It really is the big.

Rusotto: Why do people like Bin Laden have popular support? Because people are desperate, it is akin, as i've said before to the rise of hitler after WW1, Germany was broke, poverty was rampant, people get desperate and look to people who provide scapegoats and easy answers. Its obviously more than tarriffs, but it is the extreme wealth divide, not to mentioan cultural invasion. I'm not saying the first world is evil etcetcetc, i'm not saying there is an easy or short term fix, but it is the reason.

As for dictionary versions, i'ts set to english english here, yet it still seems to be forcing some american spellings, ah well *sighs*, ill live wiht the ugly little red lines.

[tw]

Originally posted by russotto
*sigh*. I'm no fan of tarriffs, but blaming terrorism on them is a pretty bad stretch. Particularly when you check out Osama's net worth.

I don't believe Jaguar made that arguement. The way I read his post, Americans can be hated simply because they are so wealthy; and related symtoms such as massive, inefficient energy consumption. There is not much we can do about that in a country that works more hours than any other nation, a nation still in denial of waste, and a nation that puts its workers at greater economic risks compared to most every other wealthy nation.

We may not be able to solve the 'wealth envy', but there are other problems we could be much smarter at solving. For example, much of bin Laden's 'hate America' reasons had little in common with his supporters. Take away those other reasons (such as outright support of Sharon's unilateral attacks on innocent people), and bin Laden does not have as much support.

As for the French, well, they are a mysterious lot. They would give us the wonderful Statue of Liberty, but then hate us for other things - like English (not matter which way it is spelled).

French farms are said to be protected because of the French people's attachment to farms. Most Frenchmen are only one or two generations detached from farm life. I don't know if this is in agreement or disagreement with Jaguar's 'fear of hunger' theory. Other reasons have been properly cited for agricultural subsidies including Japanese rice and Apple tarrifs. I see no solution even after the next round of GATT. Too many talk free markets but then forget how to walk.

But then I am not the only one with such frustrations. World economic leaders complain among themselves how many ways they have attempted to address economic problems such as poverty with so little success. The latest was to address poverty as a function of corruption or as a function of excessive government intervention. Free markets alone have not been the solution and corruption is a tough nut to crack. Studies of the worst (30 something) nations did not show very much success which is why world economic leaders are so frustrated in their search for solutions.

[jaguar]

My fear of hunger theory? clarify please...

Gah, apart from internal corruption, often the leading cause of national poverty (take Nigeria for example - Oil rich but the people are poor - the moeny is siphoned off by a few at the top) is a: Foreign debt, the sheer volume of money it takes to service thsoe debts stop any real economic expansion, and lack of access to wealthy foreign markets. Remove thsoe two constraints and i beleive many of these economies would thrive. As for bin laden, tw pretty much hit the mark.

[tw]

Originally posted by jaguar
My fear of hunger theory? clarify please...

My mistake. I misapplies a point made by Griff to you. Griff posted:

They lost the capacity to feed themselves and are trying to make sure that never happens again.

[Griff]

Rockefeller subsidy.

http://www.nydailynews.com/2002-05-1...sp?last6days=1