(no subject)

[johnny9fingers]

The British micro-culture has been accused of being bloody minded. Of course we're bloody minded. We were the first Nation you can think of who voluntarily gave up an empire, (because in argument, it conflicted with our idea of justice). And actually, America pointed this out to us, and re-inforced the lesson with Suez. (The French, Potugeuse, Belgians, and Dutch, all dismantled their empires soon after.)
The US then became the west's leader against the 'communist menace' - paranoia on both sides but...You guys held on, with minor nastinesses in Central and South America and what had been French Indo-China. The Russians had Czechoslovakia and Hungary and Korea and Vietnam and Gulags and repression.
We all did what we had to do, as we saw it.
Soviet Russia fell when it did because of economics - the inability for a managed economy to compete with an economy undergoing constant evolution through the mutagenic pressure of market forces, if you'll excuse me for teasing you with a Dawkins like phrase.
To reverse Von Clauswitz's phrase, Economics is war by other means.
China
India
In order, the next great economic powers.
How are we doing so far? How do we hold what wealth we have?
How do we stop vaguely criminal merchant adventurers squandering what we've built up.
Britain bankrupted itself fighting WWI and II, then took forty years to reclaim a position on the economic league table, but one no longer of dominance. Conditions had changed and we no longer had a captive market, as our empire was gone.
The industries that built America are floundering, with the exception of the weapons industries and industries with goverment contracts. The new industries flourish, but with maths teaching in both the US and UK, the IT sector will become dominated by Chinese and Indian folk, who are (en masse) brighter than us anyway.
We should be more careful of our resources, or act to renew them. Perhaps even spend more money on education.

Comments

"vaguely criminal merchant adventurers"

[ankh156.livejournal.com]

That's exactly what we were when we built it up...

Why should we expect 'them' to behave differently ?

Re: "vaguely criminal merchant adventurers"

[johnny9fingers.livejournal.com]

I agree, however I was looking for a vague enough euphemism - it being in accord with my stated purpose - not to offend, but to engage. Ah well m'dear, caught again, blast. Please allow me to pull trousers up before being marched to the beak.

Sorry about that

[ankh156.livejournal.com]

I have family in South Africa who used to talk of things 'decending into savagery' if the whites relinquished control... "Savagery ?", I'd quiz. "Like what happened in most of european history ? Do you suppose it can be avoided ?"

I was a bit quick to kick that one back in your face.

In consolation, try this. I think it's damn impressive. (I learned Arthur Smith's version of this when I wurr a lad.)

Tommy Emmanuel
Uploaded by surveilleur

Re: Sorry about that

[johnny9fingers.livejournal.com]

Shit.
I gotta practise. Shee-it, yeah. 90% of most of it is doable without thinking but without the levels of accuracy. Wish the sound and vision bit had been in better synch.
Love and Respect.

Glad you liked it

[ankh156.livejournal.com]

Here's a bit more :



This guy is what I call "shit-hot". (I can do chord'n'melody stuff like this, but not with the walking bassline. Humbling, really. * shrugs *)

Re: Glad you liked it

[johnny9fingers.livejournal.com]

Blue Moon...(it is Blue Moon isn't it?)
I've got some work to do. I may be some time.