ALL RIGHT FOR SOME

"Britain may still be in recession, but the appetite for the finer things in life, it appears, lives on. Topping all expectations, Bonhams, the upmarket auction house, last week sold a decanter of whisky to a bashful buyer for a record-breaking £27,600. The unique Dalmore Oculus, blended from some of the most exceptional whiskies of the past 140 years, had been expected to reach up to £20,000. Instead it raised the largest amount of money ever paid for a Dalmore whisky. The buyer asked to remain anonymous." (Observer, 22 November) RD

OOPS, SORRY ABOUT THAT

"The head of Goldman Sachs apologised for the Wall Street investment bank's role in helping to create the financial crisis. After being ridiculed for saying he was doing God's work, and seeing his company labeled as a blood-sucking vampire squid, Lloyd Blanketing delivered a mea culpa to a conference in New York.

"We participated in things that were clearly wrong and have reason to regret," Blankfein said. "We apologise."

So that's all right then." (Observer, 22 November) RD

Smart meters can't wait until after election, says energy boss

In a Socialist Society technical innovation can be welcomed as a further reduction in repetitive work and a further increase of opportunity to use the time saved for developing your interests: In a Capitalist Society technical innovation becomes a further opportunity for employers to increase their profits and reduce the number of workers.

Scotland on Sunday's article about "Smart Meters" is an example of this process.

SMART meters will be the biggest revolution in the power industry since North Sea gas was discovered, and legislation enabling their use should be pushed through parliament before the general election, says the head of the Energy Retail Association (ERA).

Garry Felgate said he expects an announcement on the roll-out of smart meters for residential customers to accompany next month's pre-budget report from Chancellor Alistair Darling

He said bills might also be reduced because utility companies would be able to save money on administration and postage costs associated with sending out amended bills when customers are unhappy with estimated amounts.

"The new meter technology will streamline a lot of our internal procedures, helping to improve account handling and turnaround times for processes like a change of tenancy or a change of supplier. Fundamentally, they will make it easier for our customers to do business with us."

Darling's pre-budget report is also expected to be accompanied by an outline for the UK government's "social pricing support" under which the ERA expects Westminster to define which customers need support.

I'm sure banks will be happy enough to lend the necessary capital in this stringent period to facilitate the energy bosses impatience, however, bills might be reduced, so it shows they're thinking about us.

THE ADVANCE OF CAPITALISM

"With the stroke of a pen, the last of Kenya's honey hunters may soon be homeless. Since time immemorial, the Ogiek have been Kenya's traditional forest dwellers. They have stalked antelope with homemade bows, made medicine from leaves and trapped bees to produce honey, the golden elixir of the woods. They have struggled to survive the press of modernity, and many times they have been persecuted, driven from their forests and belittled as "dorobo," a word meaning roughly people with no cattle. Somehow, they have always managed to survive. Now, though, the little-known Ogiek, among East Africa's last bona fide hunters and gatherers, face their gravest test yet. The Kenyan government is gearing up to evict tens of thousands of settlers, illegal or not, from the Mau Forest, the Ogiek's ancestral home and a critical water source for this entire country." (New York Times, 15 November) RD

POLLUTION AND PROFITS

Every vote seeking politician in the world waxes elequent about the urgent need for a curb to be placed on global emmisions. They fly hither and thither across the world addressing congresses about their deep concern for the planet's future. Behind these vote catching antics however lies a more pressing problem - how to compete against international rivals in obtaining a larger share of the profits. At a recent meeting in Singapore those politician showed where their real priorities lie.

"A key element of the international plan to address climate change is in jeopardy after several of the most powerful nations failed to confirm a previous commitment to halve gas emissions by 2050. The Asia-Pacific Economic Co-operation (Apec) forum, which includes the US, China, Japan and Russia deleted their commitment from the final version of the official communiqué issued after a two-day meeting in Singapore. ...Most climate scientists believe that a 50 per cent reduction in global emissions by 2050 is the minimum needed to have a chance of avoiding catastrophic change." (Times, 16 November)

For national governments to reduce industrial pollution would be economic suicide. Their costs would go up and they would not be able to compete with other nations that had not reduced their pollution. Inside capitalism in the battle between less pollution or more profits there is only one winner. RD

BABIES AND BOMBS

The charity World Vision is running an appeal for funds that it calls Child Health Now. It recently took a full page advertisement in The Times (16 November) that illustrated the plight of the world's poorest children. It reported that twins in Zambia had severe diarrhea but that the clinic they attended had only enough drugs to treat one of them. The untreated one consequently died and joined the estimated two million children that die every year of this untreated condition. The advertisement then went on to point out "A simple mixture of salt, sugar and water that costs just a few pence can save a child's life, without requiring hospital treatment." The death of a child for the lack of something costing a few pence is shocking enough but the charity then claimed "Today, World Vision launches its Child Health Now campaign, calling for an end to preventable child deaths. ...If the UK government, and the international community, channeled more aid into simple community provisions, like vitamins and rehydration salts for children cut off from health systems, the lives of six million children a year could be saved."

What the well intentioned World Vision do not understand is that we live inside a capitalist society where the priority is making profit not saving children. As we reported in the July 2009 issue of the Socialist Standard "Military spending worldwide rose by 4 per cent to $1.46 trillion." Immense expenditure to protect markets, sources of raw materials and profits, yet millions of kids die for the lack of a few pence. RD

A NICE LITTLE EARNER

"All over America demand for firearms and ammunition is rising amid concerns that rising unemployment, which passed 10 per cent this month, will lead inexorably to higher rates of crime. ... Smith & Wesson is expecting sales to rise by 30% to $102 million (£61 million) in the first quarter of next financial year, after growing by more than 13 per cent this year to $335 million. At Strum and Ruger, sales for the third quarter hit $71.2 million, up 70 per cent from the same period last year. At Glock, the leader in law enforcement markets, pistol sales rose by 71 per cent in the first quarter of the financial year in 2009 in comparison with the same period last year."  (Times, 16 November) RD

Obama eyes Afghan costs: $1 million per soldier

While President Obama's decision about sending more troops to Afghanistan is primarily a military one, it also has substantial budget implications that are adding pressure to limit the commitment, senior administration officials say.

The latest internal government estimates place the cost of adding 40,000 American troops and sharply expanding the Afghan security forces, as favoured by Gen. Stanley A. McChrystal, the top American and allied commander in Afghanistan, at $40 billion to $54 billion a year, the officials said.

Even if fewer troops are sent, or their mission is modified, the rough formula used by the White House, of about $1 million per soldier per year, appears almost constant.

So even if President Obama opts for a lower troop commitment, Afghanistan's new costs could wash out the projected $26 billion expected to be saved in 2010 from withdrawing troops from Iraq. And the overall military budget could rise to as much as $734 billion, or 10 percent more than the peak of $667 billion under the Bush administration.

Such an escalation in military spending would be a politically volatile issue for Mr. Obama at a time when the government budget deficit is soaring, the economy is weak and he is trying to pass a costly health care plan.

( New York Times 14^th November)

GLASGOW BRANCH ACTIVITY

THIS IS DEMOCRACY?

American politicians are fond of lecturing other world politicians about how the USA is a wonderful model of democracy in action. A recent study on the wealth of U.S. Congress would seem to suggest that they have a wonderful model of "government of the people by the people- " by the rich people that is" Apparently, times aren't so tough all over. According to a new study compiled by the Centre for Responsive Politics, 237 members of the U.S. Congress, or 44 percent, are millionaires. "What's easy to see is that the economic reality of our elected officials is not reflective of the general population," said Dave Levinthal, who helped compile the study's findings. Nationwide, only 1 percent of U.S. citizens qualify as millionaires."
(Sphere News, 6 November) RD

HOME OF THE BRAVE?

"Gen. Eric Shinseki was famously shunned by the Bush administration for daring to state the true costs of occupying Iraq. As President Obama's secretary of veterans affairs, he is, thankfully, no less candid about the grinding problems veterans face at home. They lead the nation in depression, suicide, substance abuse and homelessness, according to data that Mr. Shineski is delivering in salvos in his current role. About one-third of all adult homeless men are veterans, and an average night finds an estimated 131,000 of them from five decades bedding down on streets and in charity sanctuaries. About 3 in 100 of them are back from Iraq and Afghanistan. The problem of homelessness for Vietnam veterans is, shamefully, well known. But the men and women in this growing cohort took just 18 months to find rock bottom, compared with the five years-plus of the previous generation's veterans." (New York Times, 11 November) RD

CAPITALISM IS GANGSTERISM

Politicians and clergymen and even well paid TV personalties will claim that the middle east conflict has something to do with morality and justice and that it has nothing to do with crass consideration such as "making a couple of bucks" as Al Capone once famously said. "The British oil giant BP will today take control of Iraq's biggest oilfield in the first important energy deal since the 2003 invasion. The move has created uproar among local politicians invoking resentful memories of their nation's colonial past. The agreement to develop the Rumaila field, near the southern city of Basra, will potentially put Iraq on the path to rivalling the riches of Saudi Arabia within a decade — if the Government can fend off corrupt officials, continuing terrorist attacks on pipelines and political uncertainty." (Times, 3 November)

Hey, Iraq workers may continue to live in poverty, so what, we can make a couple of bucks. That is how capitalism works, isn't it Al Capone? RD

THE NEW IMPERIALISTS

It used to be popular for supporters of the so-called Communist Party to decry Imperialism. They would point out how Britain had exploited Africa and India during their colonial conquests. Later on they would concentrate on the role of the USA in Central and South America. Changed days now with China investing heavily in all sorts of corrupt regimes throughout Asia and Africa. "Barely a fortnight after soldiers loyal to Guinea's military junta butchered at least 150 demonstators calling for civilian rule, a deal for oil and mineral rights worth about $7 billion has been struck between China and Guinea. ...It seems that China's commercial march across Africa will continue unabated, however vile the human-rights record of the government it seeks to befriend." (Economist, 17 October) RD

MIRACLES, ANCIENT AND MODERN

One of the condition of attaining sainthood according to the Roman Catholic Church is two miracles. One gets you beatified and the other gets you canonised. It is understood that the Pope may beatify Cardinal Newman during his visit to the UK next year, but the claim of an American clergyman may bring on the full sainthood. According to Deacon Jack Sullivan, from the archdiocese of Boston, Massachusetts he was afflicted with a serious spinal condition causing intolerable pain with utterly no prospect of relief. He was told he was on the brink of complete paralysis. "I was completely helpless and the situation seemed hopeless. But it was this state of mind that led me to prayer. ..."Please Cardinal Newman, help me to walk, so that I can return to my classes and be ordained". (Times, 10 November)

Next thing the clergyman was up and walking, something he hadn't been able to do for months. Amazing as this may seem - and certainly a boon to a hard pressed NHS - it pales into insignificance according to the same newspaper report when compared to an earlier miracle. 

"In the Miracle of Calanda in the 17th century, the amputated leg of a young Spaniard grew back."

They just don't have miracles like that nowadays, do they? RD

CRISIS, WHAT CRISIS?

Warren Buffett is considered
one of the world's greatest investors

Billionaire Warren Buffett's investment firm has reported that profits almost tripled in the third quarter. Berkshire Hathaway said it's net profit was $3.2bn ( £1.9 bn ) in the three months to September, compared with the $1.1bn in the same period last year. ( BBC News 8 Sept 09) RD

A personal experience in capitalism

We are all well aware that the battleground of capitalism is the price of their products
vis-a-vis their competitors. This is why shoplifting does not raise the prices (nor wage increases), as companies are not at liberty to set the price of their goods just anywhere. The price must revolve around value, and supply and demand. I decided I needed another shed; getting late in the season; bought a kit for $999; didn't include the floor or shingles (roofing); the frame was so skimpy, I was afraid it might blow down if the cows in the next field farted (although we all know it's going straight up and is the main cause of global warming); basically, the sheets of siding would be holding up the frame instead of the other way round; bought more timber to shore it up and frame it properly: end result – a fairly decent shed that cost about $1500, or just a bit more than the shed I built two years ago framed with 2x4s (not 2x3s) and sided with 1x12 pine boards. Home Depot still gets to advertise the shed for under $1000, which is the whole point of the exercise.
Hope that sheds some light on the workings of capitalism. John Ayers

Food for thought 4

On the poverty front, capitalism may be 'lifting millions out of poverty' in India, but an article on McDonald's in that country (Toronto Star 18/Oct/09) tells us that the mashed potato sandwich is the highest grossing product and sells for 50cents. For the 456 million (that would be the third largest nation on earth) that live on $1.25 a day (World Bank) even that might be a bit of a stretch- In Toronto, food banks fell well short of their Thanks giving goals and the recession is blamed. Maybe McDonalds should be selling the mashed potato sandwich here.

- To celebrate the 20th. Anniversary of the fall of the Berlin Wall, the Toronto Star published an article on communism and Marx. Of course, as expected, it was the fall of communism (communism is as dead as the waxen figure in Lenin's tomb). Information was supplied mainly by 'respected communism scholar' Archie Brown. The level of misinformation and misrepresentation reached new lows. Apparently, the 70% plunge in the Moscow stock market last fall left the 'communists' speechless and afraid to criticize Putin. The ideals of 'communism' could never come to pass in an imperfect world, but Marx didn't die without a legacy – his ideals of social justice have penetrated the wealthiest countries, including the US. In the 21st. century, The West has adopted Marx's core belief that social progress is driven by material well-being, and social democracy has flourished. It was in the US, too, that Marx's philosophy of materialism soared to its outer limits, as a pioneering philosophy of 'toil and sweat' turned to rampant consumerism that broke all class barriers. Oh boy!
Needless to say, I fired off a letter which didn't get published, but it points clearly to the misinformation that is gleefully published by the capitalist press, even a 'liberal' paper such as The Star, Canada's largest. John Ayers

Food for thought 3

Capitalists always take the prize for audacity. As Ontario's telecommunications manufacturing firm, Nortel, divvies up its assets, CEO Mike Zafirovski is requesting $12.3 million, while employees on long term disability are ignored and left to expect to exist on $10 000 per annum.

Oil tycoon, T. Boone Pickens told US Congress that US energy companies are entitled to some of Iraq's crude, because of the large numbers of American troops that lost their lives fighting in the country and the large amount of taxpayers' money spent there.

At a conference in London, Goldman Sachs international advisor, Brian Griffiths, praised inequality. As his company was putting aside $16.7 billion for exec's compensation and benefits for the first nine months of the year (up 46% from a year earlier), Griffiths told us not to worry, "We have to tolerate inequality as a way to achieve greater prosperity and opportunity for all." John Ayers

Food for thought 2

Food For Thought
"The food industry is making us sick", said CNN's Rudy Ruiz (Toronto Star 11/Oct/09). Costs of Obesity are estimated at $147 billion, diabetes $114 billion in the US. John Hopkins US researchers estimate in another 6 years, three quarters of Americans will be overweight or obese and already
26% of children entering kindergarten are overweight. Similar statistics could apply to several "developed countries, of course. How does this come about?

When US farmers were coping with chronic corn gluts in the 1960s and 70s, Earl Butz, agricultural secretary in the Nixon administration, unveiled a program of subsidies for farmers, school lunches, and alterations in food processing allowing corn to become a mainstay of the American diet. Canada followed suit. This ushered in the era of cheap, bad, fast food. Now the call to put this right is facing a tough challenge from farm-state politicians and fast food lobbyists.

Again, it's not what's right that counts, but what makes the most money for the owning class. John Ayers

TOUGH AT THE TOP

" According to the survey of richest men and women in UK property, carried out by Estates Gazette, the total value of the assets held by the country's top 100 wealthiest property investors has crashed to £ 34.32billion from £77.37billion over the past two years. The data shows that property's richest individuals fared slightly worse than the market overall. Between October 2007 and October 2009 the FTSE 350 real estate index showed a fall of 47 per cent. The seventh edition of the Estates Gazette rich list shows that between 2007 and 2009 the fortunes of the tycoons dropped by 56 per cent. One of the worst hit was Hemmings. According to the survey his personal wealth has fallen from just over £1billion last year to £300million this year - a 69 per cent drop. Britain's richest landlord, the Duke of Westminster, was also hit hard. His Grosvenor Group, which owns vast swathes of Mayfair and Belgravia, posted his worst results for 16 years in 2008. The Duke has slumped in value from £7billion in 2008 to £6.5billion after a 'challenging time' only cushioned by its 'well-diversified portfolio'." (Daily Mail, 24 October) RD