German Unemployment

[Burgerbun]

Since how the myopic losers are raving about US unemployment at 5.4%.....about the same as Japan currently, who as the worlds second largest economy dont even get a mention on this site.

Because they cant troll in Japanese

and can`t get their brainwashed heads out of mainstream media.

Thought they might have some comment about the worlds 3rd largest economy with over 10% unemployment.


but nah, America bashing is all they know

[Capitalist]

Didn't the US jobless numbers plunge today. And S&P is at its highest since 2002.

Any thinking person can see through the partisan rantings.If the US people are so dumb then why are they a super power and we are not? Like 150 years after the Founding Fathers they are walking on the freaking moon. Some imagine all in the US are hand wringing wondering "Why do they hate us?". As one blogger said:

Q. Why do they hate us?
A. Who the f*** cares.

Reality challenged idiotarians are irrelevant.

[skinny]

Hey C9, yes the almost exclusive focus on the US for global macro here is ab it one sided. Germany is the worlds third biggest economy and second biggest exporter after the US. It matters. I reckon if Europe were humming at the moment along with everyone else we'd see oil prices at $60 no worries [:p] Anyways, the economic problems with Germay are well know here in Europe:

- chronic ageing problem and pension system that is unaffordable (far worse than the US in this regard)
- large public deficit (just about as large as the US)
- inflexible labour markets that leaves firms struggling to compete with Eastern European neighbours
- too much onerous business regulation
- fractured banking and financial system that effectively results in a higher cost of capital.

Even so I am positive, at least a reform momentum has started and they seem to be doing more than Japan at any rate. Its also a very nice place to visit :)

[Burgerbun]

oh thankyou my dear CAP and Skinny. (notice I said 3rd largest;))

I would like to discuss the effects, we do have some major NZ companies doing business there...and Skinnys our man in the hotseat

PRG hopes pinned on the UK.
GPG with some major assets.

I just think some refocus away from US macros is needed, yes.
Its causing quite a mess...don`t know why?;):D

Your points about Germany are very similar to Japan...will comment more later...

thanks

[duncan macgregor]

CLOUDNINE, the macdunks of this world dont care who they bash,especially the unemployed. I bashed yanks, germans, cant think off hand of any japs i bashed,plenty of aussies and a few kiwis, then there were the poms, i luved bashing them. I blame the bloody queen i was taught it was for queen and country, so they taught me to bash,cut throats and kill with my bare hands until i was an expert. The trouble was later on in life i was told that is the wrong thing to do, you must only do it when an idiot politition says so. MACDUNK
PS DO YOU THINK I HAVE BEEN BRAINWASHED OR INDEED HAVE I GOT A BRAIN ?.

[Burgerbun]

Skinny, just confirmed OCT stats at 10.1%

The same as Oct 03! Trends down in Oct/Nov and picks up again in Jan/Feb

No real change going on in 2 years that I looked at

10-11%!!!!!


Also your figures on Exports/Import trade

Yes, USA 2nd spot with Exports at around $62b vs Imports 3rd at $39b

France at top of both.

Do you look at these figures on a per head of pop basis?

[rmbbrave]

It is almost pointless comparing statistics across different countries for something like employment. In France, Germany and NZ for example you can get an unemployment benefit often for as long as you need it, so of course people with no jobs register.

In the US and here in Japan ones' benefit runs out after six months or so, therefore it is pointless staying registered as being unemployed.

This means published unemployment rates in France, Germany and NZ are close to the actual rates but published rates in the US and Japan are no where near the real rates.

"There are three kinds of lies: lies, damn lies, and statistics ..." Mark Twain.

[skinny]

rmbbrave - good point but too harsh economists also look at standardised measures of unemployment and employment rates (most commonly the share of population aged 15-64 in work) to account for those differences. Check the OECD 2004 employment outlook tables below for all the facts and figures!! It shows at the end of 2003 the German employment rate is 65% c/f 68% in Japan, 71% in the US, and 73% in little old NZ! Thats still low compared to Icelanders where around 85% of em are in work - must be better than freezing your **** off I guess :D

http://www.oecd.org/dataoecd/42/55/32494755.pdf

But wait theres still more - all the facts and figures you can shake a stick at on the US, Japan and the EU in the world economy available here -

http://www.eurunion.org/profile/EUUSStats.htm

[Packersoldkidney]

quote:Originally posted by duncan macgregor

CLOUDNINE, the macdunks of this world dont care who they bash,especially the unemployed. I bashed yanks, germans, cant think off hand of any japs i bashed,plenty of aussies and a few kiwis, then there were the poms, i luved bashing them. I blame the bloody queen i was taught it was for queen and country, so they taught me to bash,cut throats and kill with my bare hands until i was an expert. The trouble was later on in life i was told that is the wrong thing to do, you must only do it when an idiot politition says so. MACDUNK
PS DO YOU THINK I HAVE BEEN BRAINWASHED OR INDEED HAVE I GOT A BRAIN ?.


I'll bite, MacDrunk. You sound like a bloke I new over here. Power Lifter dude, held the world record in the bench for some time. Weight went from 110 up to 125 kg, depending on if he was juiced up or not. 4th dan black belt in 2 martial arts. Nut job. Constant problems with the law; though it has to be said the law also had problems with him (and let's face it, that could happen to anyone). Now he and the law are one. Funny that. Appeared on 4 Corners (a program over here on one of the national broadcasters supposedly a 'serious' current affairs thing) on a program they had on (surprise surprise) steroids. As I said, mad as a cut snake. Ever heard of that 'Extreme Fighting'? No holes barred stuff. Mano o mano in the ring - this fella went 30 bouts through it. No rules. No excuses. His girlfriend was telling me about a time when they were at the zoo, and this other bloke picked him for some very stupid reason. (probably wanted to 'bash' him) G put his entire shoulder somewhere in the middle of his back. I'd say he'd done a lot worse to many other people as well. Worst case of 'little man syndrome' I've ever seen.

On the basis of knowing this person that I would say that you have been brainwashed, and that probably by now you have no brain. There are only so many of those experiences that one brain can stand before it is finally and unalterably broken. The only way you will ever feel alive is if you are cracking someone's skull open. Everything else pales into comparison. I suggest you either return to bouncing work, or have your nuts cut out and become a girl - it will give you a new entirely different focus, plus you already have the kilts to dress up like a Mavis. They also have drugs for this sort of thing: it will give you a new lease on life and you can forget about the bad gnawing memories. Probably also on the National Health over there and payed for by the tax-payer, if my understanding of current 'left-wing' government expenditure runs true in Kiwiland. Then, MacDrunk, you won't be so surly, coz you'll be feeling like a girlie; they can impant some bappies, to return you to the happies - you can have that montly PMT rush, and blokes will make you blush.

[duncan macgregor]

I think your kidin me kidney. Perhaps its you that knows the power of the dark side. Only kidin my transplanted friend.

[belgarion]

Skinny,

I think you dismiss rmbbrave's observations far too readily. To use OECD figures is a little rich too especially as the OECD has a vested interest in being nice to america as a very significant amount of their funding comes from there. (I know of a few occaisons, as do you Im sure, where a quiet word from the US has resulted in OECD 'drafts' being reworded against the better judgememt of the sound minds that work there. Also, the OECD remit is simply to use the offical figures, not to question how they are derived.) Those issues aside ...

The way the US calculates unemployment is statistically flawed in much the same way as the way in which the US calculates inflation.

Take for example the 'house hold' survey's that the US is so fond of. Unemployed people are transient and notoriously difficult to track. Thus they seldom show up in household surveys that are conducted by phone (as they can't afford them) and 'face-to-face' questioning is almost always done in 'safe areas' that don't have significant unemployement levels.

Another example is selections made from the electorial role. In the vast majority of states in the US, anyone convicted of a felony (has spent time inside) has lost the right to vote. Thus, felons just don't register as their is very little point. The result is a statistically very significantly skewed sample set as felons tend to be from the lower socio-economic groups and are therefore more likely to be unemployed.

Another example is the 'official' statistics reported by employers as to the size of their payrolls. With around 25% of people in the US being either near or below the poverty line, there is a huge shadow work force who aren't recognised. This phenominen cuts both way, i.e. there may be more working or they may be less, nobody knows for sure. One thing is for sure though, they have few rights and are paid very little even when they can find work.

Quite frankly I take the US employment figures with a grain of salt. If I had to make a wild guess I'd suggest they, like the US inflation rate, is way below the real rate.

A system like Germany and ours that 'pays' the unemployed to report their unemployment is likely to be most most accurate system. 'On the cheap' systems, like the US one, is not only statistically flawed but also open to manipulation by very subtle adjustments to its increasingly complex set of statistical assumptions.

Like many offical 'statistics' in the US, you can take them on faith, or you can use truely emperical systems like NZs, Germany's and Japans. Like much else eminating from america these days, only those who research how the official numbers are put together know what's really going on.

rmbbrave, keep digging dude, you'll be amazed at what you find.

[Packersoldkidney]

quote:Originally posted by duncan macgregor

I think your kidin me kidney. Perhaps its you that knows the power of the dark side. Only kidin my transplanted friend.


Does this mean that you are going to carry through with the op or not?

[duncan macgregor]

POK I hope you dont mind me useing initials your name is rather long. To answer your question i want to OP out of it packer me old mate look what happened to you. MACDUNK.

[Packersoldkidney]

Yep, having a vital organ(s) cut out can be very painful. Still, if it came to a forced choice, I'd prefer a kidney rather then the jatz crackers.

[Nevl]

The unemployment rate in Europe is actually much higher. After all the subsidies and protection for its farmers is just a way of hiding unemployment. Ie Euro farmers get over 50% of there income from subsidies hence they have 50% too many and agriculture counts for 7% of Europes employment. So you can add 3% there. Also coal mining is still protected as well as numerous other in local and national government ministries. To take a french example of their train comapny SNCF they employ about 50000 more people than they have too. Europe is still practicing the old Mulddon trick of hiding the unemployed in Govt organisations. Remember govt owned Telecom and the Railways, MoW. Europes real unemployment rate is probally closer to 15%

[Awryly]

quote:Yep, having a vital organ(s) cut out can be very painful. Still, if it came to a forced choice, I'd prefer a kidney rather then the jatz crackers.

God help us all. You're not still breeding?

[Awryly]

To those wealthy American Christian Republicans out there, I of course meant "God" in an economic sense. Any resemblance to a real value system is vehemently denied.

[Awryly]

Not even to the Destiny Church. Tamaki/Bush for 2008?

[Nevl]

Sorry aspex. The Germans force every able bodied male to join the army for 9 months or if they refuse that to do socal work for 12 months which bacially means that they do rest home work for the elderly at conscription army wages. So add another % for the work force taken out by the German Military and Social industry.

[Packersoldkidney]

quote:Originally posted by Awryly


quote:Yep, having a vital organ(s) cut out can be very painful. Still, if it came to a forced choice, I'd prefer a kidney rather then the jatz crackers.

God help us all. You're not still breeding?


1 little baby kidney out and one on the way. Think you meant 'You're still not breeding?', not what you wrote. Anyway. Alternatively you could have left the 'not' out all together, and it would have made more sense. Hope this helps.

[Packersoldkidney]

Actually, an entirely better way of doing it would have been: 'You're still breeding? God help us all.' Instead, you've put the answer before the question, and it doesn't make all that much sense. Your insults need a bit of work on them. I'm sure there's a website somewhere where you could grab a few ideas. Google's the way to go.

[Runswifscissors]

I think you managed fairly well with a put down there yourself Kidney old bean!

[Packersoldkidney]

Always willing to point someone in the right direction if they want to have a go at the kidney!

[duncan macgregor]

PACKER me old mate, If an old kidney can do all that think what half a brain could do. You might be able to write a book left handed.
Take it easy on me im sensitive. MACDUNK

[Awryly]

quote:Originally posted by Packersoldkidney


quote:Originally posted by Awryly


quote:Yep, having a vital organ(s) cut out can be very painful. Still, if it came to a forced choice, I'd prefer a kidney rather then the jatz crackers.

God help us all. You're not still breeding?


1 little baby kidney out and one on the way. Think you meant 'You're still not breeding?', not what you wrote. Anyway. Alternatively you could have left the 'not' out all together, and it would have made more sense. Hope this helps.


Only too happy to be told that what I say is not what I mean by people who don't understand what I say and have only a flimsy grasp of their own utterances. :)

[Packersoldkidney]

quote:Originally posted by Awryly


Only too happy to be told that what I say is not what I mean by people who don't understand what I say and have only a flimsy grasp of their own utterances. :)


Better. Good avoidance of the initial criticism, plus extra points for flipping your mistake back onto me as being a result of my lack of understanding and 'flimsy grasp of [my] own utterances'. Double barrelled insult infering that I lack understanding and implying that this is down to something like my own stupidity. Overly glib, though. Still a while before you graduate magna cum laude, but your efforts are improving. Well done. :)

[duncan macgregor]

AWRYLY, Interesting little battle going on here nothing to do with anything. This is how i see it. RUNSWIF SCISSORS is a pomme tailor that cant spell his name and thinks the kidney is mr BEAN. The kidney is a reject that was trying to master the art of underarm bowling and is obvousely one of them. He wants to write a book useing his left hand only. [this will be a first aussies dont write books]. Then we have your good self that says what they mean but gets mixed up with the meaning. obviousely a kiwi from the sewer city. Hope you guys can come back and let old macdunk know how the battle rages. KEEP IT GOING GUYS THHIS IS GOOD FUN. MACDUNK

[Packersoldkidney]

By the way, your joining of the adjective 'flimsy', with the noun 'grasp' (in most cases 'grasp' is actually a verb) is probably over done. The joining of those two words is used everywhere - for some originality I suggest either a new adjective to stand in for 'flimsy' - ones that come to mind are, well, quite a few, but let's stick with "d's" - decrepit, diaphanous, delicate, defective are all good ones. 'Decrepit' is good because it intimates old age and senility. Diaphanous is a good one because it will have people running to their dictionaries to find that it implies translucence. Delicate is a good one because it infers questions on sexuality - sort of a foppish dandyish homosexual adjective. Defective is also good because it is sort of a robotic word, and implies that I am not human, but more machine - computers are defective, not people.

Then, or course, we come to the use of the word 'grasp' - there are many inventive ways in which you could employ a substitute for this word, combined with the imputation of the characteristic for the noun 'grasp'. For instance, you could also imply, by a certain conjunction of words, that not only do I have a tenuous 'grip' on reality, but also that I am a 'penny-pincher' (a money 'grasper'), and also that I am a theif (a 'grasper' can be a substitute for the word 'pick-pocket'). If you were really clever you could imply all three, plus several more inferences that come to mind, (for instance, another sexual intonation - a 'grasper' could be implied to mean someone who walks around feeling people up for sexual gratification). Words that I prefer to use instead of grasp include 'hook' (an excellent one because it implies a studied and evilly manipulative sort of 'grip', plus can be used to imply other sorts of meanings: 'the butcher's hook', a bloody death like noun) 'hold', 'take', 'glom' etc etc. Actually, 'glom' is probably my favourite substitute for 'grasp' - mainly because the 'o' sound can be used in assonance to really get a sentence to sound non-sonambulant. (those last three words are an example of assonance, which is the repitition of vowell sounds. Repitition of consonants is called alliteration - Peter Piper picked a pepper etc etc)

I hope this is of assistance to you when you are writing your future insults.

[duncan macgregor]

KIDDEY am i allowed to pinprick just a tiny bit please. When you write your book and use some of the words above get the spelling right. I dont want you to look like a dummy i before e except after c . Edit your last post before anyone else notices and say you should have gone the whole hog with the transplants. your buddy macdunk

[Packersoldkidney]

Good one, MacDrunk. Good link between several posts - and an attack on what is seemingly established as a 'strong-point' for the kidney, grammer, english etc etc. Actually very good because from your posts it seems that you have difficulty in this department as well - so for a person who finds it difficult to spell (whether deliberately of not-deliberately) to be correcing someone else about this really puts them in their place. Also good use of the social norm of mateship - calling me 'buddy' - for the putdown to have a stronger effect. As in, enemies put people down, but friends do not, except when you've really put your foot in it. Thus you have inferred that I've really torn it. All in all better effort then O'Reilly's though knowing the Irish, O'Reilly will be back for another crack. Any fair-dinkum Irishman would not let a Scotsman beat him in a battle of words - to much wordsmith heritage to protect.

[Awryly]

quote:You do not know the power of the DARKSIDE!

I'm starting to get a feel for it.[:I]

[Awryly]

quote:Also good use of the social norm of mateship - calling me 'buddy'

Hey McDunk. No hypocrisy please. Just call him the a*hole he wants to be called.

[duncan macgregor]

This is a place where learning must come before petty disputes. we are all wrong sometimes some are strong in some things,and weak in others. The best way to pin point a weakness is with good humour. I found that humour is a weapon that breaks down even the most hardened views. The reason we have a view in the first place is that mostly we have been told by someone that, this is right the others are wrong. Take the Irish fighting each other for instance. If all the protestants had been born in catholic homes and visa versa they would all be as bitter but on opposite sides. Religeon,politics.national identity the same. It is so easy to laugh at them all. CHEERS your old mate macdunk

[Awryly]

Hmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm. On all fronts.

[Packersoldkidney]

Another good one, OReilly. Good use of rhetoric. My favourite rhetoritician is Phillip of Macedon, from whom we get the word 'phillipic'. A veritable master at it. Not much of his stuff survives, though. Churchill is another. Amazing use of rhetoric and words in general. Can recommend you study some of his speeches for some ideas. There are others - a good starting point might be the Safire book on great speeches. Forget the name, but I have read it, and can recommend it.

Have to say, though, I much prefer to put the full swear word in, especially with a word like 'a r s e', as it is easy to confuse it with 'ass'. I hate 'ass' for some reason, though I have been known to use it on occasion, usually in its proper American context. Just a personal taste thing, I guess.

But, still, good use of faux admonishment: 'No hypocrisy please', followed by the kicker of 'Just call him the a*hole he wants to be called'. Thus you are saying to call me by anything other than 'a*hole' would be hypocritical (and the faux admonishment is a universal source of humour across culture and country, so points for that). Further you make the claim, rhetorical in nature so there is meant to be no comeback, that I 'want' to be called an 'a*hole'.

I also am pretty big on 'poetic' use of words and sentence construction in prose, thus I like the first two word sentence, followed by the three word sentence, followed by the longer prose sentence. All in all, your insults are really improving post by post, and I can see a very bright future for yourself on these boards. Probably next time you will have to gather some facts to back your case - I find that the use of pure rhetoric becomes overly glib after a while, but maybe not for a few posts yet. Well done, anyway.

Hope this helps. :)

[Awryly]

For some obscure reason, I'm actually impressed by your analysis, POK. And, for no reason other than a desire to rail against silly social euphemisms, am pleased to learn your personal tastes in excretion lean towards
a r s e rather than a s s - which, as you might know, is easily confused with an animal that does not necessarily deserve the associations it has been saddled with.

I note your words of encouragement - without much hope, as you no doubt know, that they will, or are intended to, encourage. Nice use of hypocrisy.

[Awryly]

My regards to Phil.

[Packersoldkidney]

Nah, not being hypocritical. Actually was attempting to be humorous when I wrote that your improved insults will lead to a 'very bright future on these boards', so I was having a go at the forums in general, and not yourself. Further I was actually heartfelt in my praise and assessment, as I would much prefer to read some decent insults and word-use on these forums then something different. Merely trying to give you some feedback and encouragement.

Good use of the words 'ass' and 'saddled' in the same sentence, by the way.

Damn! This has now turned into a back-slapping exercise. The boring siren is now wailing. Can't think of anything derisory to say to keep this thread going. Oh well.

[Awryly]

Never thought I would say this: cheers, mate.;)

[Awryly]

Now, to get back to the topic C9 presented to us, there are some Germans who are not employed. How do you react to this phenomenon?

[duncan macgregor]

Is thatit then?. It ends up kidney slaps awryly on the back to be comforted by the words cheers mate.WHAT A HAPPY ENDING, but what happens with that run wifscissors bloke does he still think you are mr bean?. The moral of this happy tale is [the power of the dark side makes wrong decisions with absolute conviction. macdunk
ps save me up for a later date guys.

[Awryly]

Life does does not deal you the hand you think you deserve, McDunk.

[Awryly]

I have no idea what that means, but in your Scottish way, I'm sure you'll make something of it.

[duncan macgregor]

The macdunks deserve the hand they deal themselves. we all deserve what we get [some more than others]. Good fun dealing it out though.
ALL THE BEST YOUR OLD MATE MACDUNK

[Awryly]

A well-hedged assessment of the situation.

[Packersoldkidney]

quote:Originally posted by Awryly

Never thought I would say this: cheers, mate.;)


No wucking furries.

German unemployment rate at 'round 10%, I'm led to believe. One reason is the re-unification, but others are the points Skinny raised. Unfortunately I think that the US is facing a situation that Germany is starting to come to grips with. Even with the latest reasonably positive US non-farm payroll, there are still a lot of US jobs going off-shore. Simply put, for a majority of companies, it is cheaper to utilise the cheaper labour available in places like China and India, rather then rely on occidental labour forces. Still think the US will be a very prosperous place, but what is happening is a structural change in labour markets. Further, the service jobs that are left will undergo radical change. In Germany itself, the retailers that are having the most success have entirely new business models that mean a lot less labour. Effectively they've cut labour overheads down to the bone, and have re-designed their shops so that minimal labour is required. Walk into any Grace Brothers or David Jones store in Australia and you will find a very high number of sales staff - this situation will change when the 'new' German model is adopted, and it will be adopted because it is more efficient.

How many people on 70k a year are there around the place? In Australia they are a dime a dozen, and as poster on marketocracy noted, what the hell are they there for? A lot of these sorts of jobs are superflous - I can see a time when a lot of these jobs will go leaving a vaste swathe of unemployed in the process. The Germany of today will be the New Zealand/Australia of tomorrow.