Comments on: Guest Post: Jessica Q Fox – Short the West

By: John Mc

John Mc — Tue, 15 Jan 2013 01:04:30 +0000

LIke the share market you can’t pick the timing. We may have another boom while still carrying shit loads of debt. We’ve done it before.

Like the share market the only rule is “all booms must bust, and all busts must boom”.

Short cycle, we’re coming out of a bust so you should probably expect an upturn. Long cycle, the west is on the end of a 250 year boom. There will be more countries like Greece over the coming decades.

By: Penndragon

Penndragon — Tue, 15 Jan 2013 00:57:49 +0000

A friend and I have been down this path before. Predicting the crash or turning point is barely half the battle. You have to get the timing at least partly worked out. We got the commodities boom but a few years early and in the meantime the markets decided mineral prices were going to tank forever – seems insane now. We wanted to short sell alternative energy companies on the back of the global warming fraud, but you need the timing or you can wait years and then there is the risk of governments bailing them out (Solyanda might have been good). So people any ideas on timing?

By: wreckage

wreckage — Mon, 07 Jan 2013 09:29:12 +0000

My advice would be to up-skill and pay down debt. There is no true security for true societal breakdown, but trade-connected economies don’t implode. Even Rome, with the means of food production undercut, took decades to go under. The nearest analogy would be if diesel fuel and all substitutes ceased to exist.

So: own your house, carry no debt, cultivate wide networks with knowledgeable people in diverse careers. If you believe in an imminent demise, move to as rural a location as will allow you to carry on in your best-paid career path, preferably an acre or four in a high-rainfall area. This hedges your bets. No point choosing subsistence before you have to.

By: Hendaye Cross

Hendaye Cross — Mon, 07 Jan 2013 04:42:51 +0000

Why would you want to be long money when the time comes? When money is no longer decreed it will cease to exist. What we need to short are our egos, starting with our wants. Because when the crying is done there will be nothing left to want. In fact we won’t even get our basic needs met so shorting greed wouldn’t hurt. It would be a good idea to get used to life without shoes too, and clothes. So shorting shame will help. For those too proud to short their egos they should consider shorting carbon. Because as carbon life forms made in the image of the Piscean god – money – they are, history.

By: Dan

Dan — Mon, 07 Jan 2013 03:49:28 +0000

Is this the “short Europe” reference?

———————-
Brilliant article. Conclusion: short Europe.

DrBeauGan

19 Nov 11 at 6:50 pm

By: blogstrop

blogstrop — Mon, 07 Jan 2013 03:02:32 +0000

Simon and Blogstrop among others have worthy and noble ideals but no clear plan to accomplish them.

Thanks a lot. Just because I didn’t add to your stockpile of ways to “short the system” doesn’t mean I have no ideas to do with my stated goal to “continue to try to overcome the shortcomings of our media dominated political system and see a return to sensible management.”
But the thread’s not about that, really, and in any event, Fisky’s plan is probably as good as mine, at least as far as being provocative in this blog’s context is concerned.
I’ve stated often that the media generally, but the ABC in particular, are warping the democratic results. How you go about remedying that can vary from de-funding the ABC and SBS, taking over Fairfax (likely to happen) or getting Fisky to string them all up from lamp-posts. Perhaps that last one sits happily with shorting the system.

By: TerjeP

TerjeP — Mon, 07 Jan 2013 02:16:55 +0000

JC – you are not paying attention. But then you never do. I won’t bother repeating myself however as you’re not worth the effort. If you don’t get it then go back and read what I actually said instead of what you imagine I meant.

Regarding the UKIP I’m looking forward to meeting Paul Nuttall, UKIP MP, in just under three weeks time. I’m keen to hear his views. I generally like UKIP.

Regarding tax harmonisation there is only one example in reality which is the minimum VAT requirement. If you’re going to blame the EU for ideas that get talked about but not implemented then all layers of government ought to be judged in the same light. ie by the worst crack pot ideas that they once talked about. Further tax harmonisation is nearly impossible within the EU framework and I doubt it will ever happen. If it does happen then obviously that is a bad thing.

If we want to blame the EU for the rigid labour laws in France then we need to explain why labour laws in Denmark are highly flexible. It makes more sence to blame the French government.

http://www.investindk.com/Establishing-a-business-in-Denmark/The-Danish-labour-market

By: Gab

Gab — Mon, 07 Jan 2013 02:01:33 +0000

but Alice has inspired me to go back to MacBeth. How now, thou drunken, black and midnight hag?

Harsh but fair….and lol-worthy.

By: TerjeP

TerjeP — Mon, 07 Jan 2013 02:00:03 +0000

A common market didn’t require the EU monstrosity in Brussels.

Yes I know. The EU has been an excessive over reach. But that doesn’t change the fact that domestic national policies have been and continue to be the bigger burden.

By: Will

Will — Mon, 07 Jan 2013 01:56:58 +0000

I like the idea of shifting the lefties to Tasmania, but again, there are some practical details missing on how to get them there.

offer lots of free stuff