Why are banks so rotten?

Now a departure from my nights out, something that has really been bugging me.

Have you ever asked yourself the question:

"Where does money come from?"

I mean seriously, where does money come from?

The junior cert answer to this question is "the government prints money stamps coins, that's it!"

Right?

Wrong!

The single greatest source of money on the planet is not the US, Bill Gates or Donald Trump, it's the entire bank system which has emerged since the middle ages.

"Banking was conceived in iniquity and was born in sin. The bankers own the earth. Take it away from them, but leave them the power to create money, and with the flick of the pen they will create enough deposits to buy it back again. However, take away from them the power to create money and all the great fortunes like mine will disappear and they ought to disappear, for this would be a happier and better world to live in. But, if you wish to remain the slaves of bankers and pay the cost of your own slavery, let them continue to create money." - Josiah Stamp, 1st Baron Stamp, former Director of the Bank of England.

Banking is probably one of the greatest scams since a woman in Israel about 2000 years ago claimed that God got her pregnant. It really is just a scam. I've read stuff on banks before, they're interesting as scams and really I came across a set of videos on youtube that really summarise things very simply.

The modern banking system involves literally the creation of money out of tin air, this is how our economies are run. Money is deposited into the banks, banks pay interest on deposits, people borrow money from banks and banks collect interest on repayments. Question is, where does the bank come up with this money to give? It doesn't, it conjures it. Banks are dependent upon borrowers, borrowers pay interest and make the bank money. Also, banks can pretty much lend out as much money as they want because modern banking is so poorly regulated and if you think I'm wrong look at Iceland. A banks survival is on the basis that it can lend money and make it back with interest. It's a closed system because people will spend their loans (e.g. a car loan), the person who sells their car, deposits money back into the bank (it doesn't even have to be the same bank) and the bank pays interest and everybody is happy. It's a system that feeds off something that at one stage was illegal, immoral and the subject of one of Shakespeare's plays, the Merchant of Venice, it's a practice called usury. Essentially banks make money off of money, the more they can lend, the more that they can get in return.

Why is this such a rotten system? What's the problem with making money off of money?

Simple really, it's completely unsustainable. There's no real economic growth from credit fueled debt, if you think that's wrong then you've not been to Ireland in recent years and seen the housing bubble burst.

Secondly, you condemn people to debt and a form of slavery. Think about it simply like this, if Haiti had no international debt and wasn't forced to pay off the loans + interest it owed, would the country be described as being the poorest in the western hemisphere? Debt is a form of slavery, it stops people from doing anything, it traps them. Finally, the very idea that private individuals have more power over the state than the citizenry is sick. It's sick to think that bank executives have more power than the fucking idiots we've elected. What's wrong with this, it ain't democracy it's a junta. Banks have bank rolled wars and recoveries, but they're not democratic institutions and they do not represent the interests of the people, they need people to be in debt to make money. That's how they roll.

If you think that's not a rotten system, then at best you're a big silly billy and at worst a fucking fool with their head firmly up their own arse. Now these could be ramblings of a madman (they were back in the 1930s anyway) but I'm not rambling, I'm stating the obvious and I'm not the first to do so:

"The Central bank is an institution of the most deadly hostility existing against the Principles and form of our Constitution. I am an Enemy to all banks discounting bills or notes for anything but Coin. If the American People allow private banks to control the issuance of their currency, first by inflation and then by deflation, the banks and corporations that will grow up around them will deprive the People of all their Property until their Children will wake up homeless on the continent their Fathers conquered." - Thomas Jefferson.

The problem with most people is simply ignorance, unfortunately it goes hand-in-hand with apathy.

Chat ya's!

Student nurses, fishing and sharks...

On a recent jaunt to my local public establishment... looking for a tipple of sherry and a quite chat... It was a sight to behold! Some interesting tunes were being played, not quite Chopin but I wasn't complaining!
However, the place was wall-to-wall of; nursing students, camogie girls and a neat little group of speech therapy ladies. I must say, it really was something else... I've seen the pyramids of Egypt, the Aurora on a cloudless night, the view of the heavens from the summit of Mt. Everest... but nothing and I mean nothing beats a sexy nurse!

I think Flo Rida says it the best:

"She turned around and gave that big booty a smack (hey)
She hit the floor (she hit the floor)
Next thing you know
Shawty got low, low, low, low, low, low, low, low"

You can keep your BESS birds and D4 heads in general (they got D2 anyway!), because nothing beats a nursing student after working a week of nights straight and downing a bottle of wine and a shoulder of Huzzars! They're like muses, sirens with their raw energy, unrestrained and untamed, like a feral she-wolf! They don't care who you are, they're out fishing and want to catch something! It's like you're overpowered, hook, line and sinker. No point fighting now is there? Of course not! Sure... you've a lecture/work at nine o'clock in the morning, possibly an exam in statistics at 2 o'clock in the afternoon and you're broke as hell... but as Flo Rida goes on to say:

"Whoa shawty yeah she was worth the money
Little mama took my cash
And I ain't want it back"

However, one must remember that one is not fish... but a shark! ;-)

Simplicity at its best don't you think?

Now I'm off for a 'swim', let's hope 'I end up in this trophy cabinent'!

Chat ya's later. :-D

"Bump n' Grind"... could these be the best two and a half words in the English language?

For centuries, black people the world over have been exploited. They have been kidnapped, enslaved, beaten, freed, segregated and feared. And what has the white man gotten back in return for his abuses of an entire people? Bump n' Grind! I honestly think that 75% of relationships now can be attributed to this courting activity.

I suppose there's only one man that can describe such a powerful mating ritual, Sir. David Attenborough. My interview with Sir. David was an enthralling discussion on the matter, he has just released his new documentary series entitled: Other World: The Coppers Experience.

Me: "Sir. David, tell me how exactly does this bump and grind activity work in the habitat of Homo Erectus in Copperus?"

DA: "The majestic dance of Homo Erectus in Copperus is composed of the alpha male approaching a loose contingent of females, usually from the side. With care and precision he targets one of the members of the female pack, eyes focussed and ready to move in. He extends his arms forward, hands now pressed on the female's shoulders he repositions himself, moving into the female with his hips. The female responds to this activity with a slight reversal of her posterior against the male's anterior. The activity is carried on with the male moving his hands further down the length of the prey. Success of the 'kill' is determined with the fervour of this activity. With this, heads collide, the male holds onto to his prey, slight twist of the neck... and it's all over."

Me: "Fascinating Sir. David, and now tell me has environmental conditions a massive part to play in this mating ritual?"

DA: "Indeed, in fact one might say that environmental conditions have a massive role. Firstly, the male usually consumes vast quantities of the substance Aqua Vitae at varying concentrations, however this also is complemented by the females in the pack consuming such substances... Along with this, the male must listen to particular music, the majestic songs of the night usually promotes the bump n' grind activities."

Me: "Really David? What kinds of music must be available?"

DA: Well anything really, this particular one is somewhat popular [showing me data collected], along with this and this. However these song choices are quite subjective, usually they are not a determining factor but a support mechanism for the alpha males progression.

Me: "Fascinating David, well thanks for taking time out of your busy schedule to talk to me, have you any plans now for the future?"

DA: "It was my pleasure. Future plans? Well, right now I plan on necking this shoulder and going to Coppers."

Me: "Hold on, I'll get my wallet!"

It really is something to behold, like the perfect majesty of a peacocks feathers unfold and untwain at the behest of the peahen, bump n' grind has given us something to be enthralled with. As the night rolls forth, the aqua vitae is consumed and the tunes keep on rolling... we have given our children a legacy to be proud of!

Why I love to teach.

Okay on a recent post regarding my stance on education I might have said things that were slightly (i.e. definitely) 'hyperbolic' in their context, for this I am sorry. I've decided to wait it out for a while before I make a response and last night it hit me like a tonne of bricks... why I love to teach.

My first experience of this activity started back at the tender age of nine and my presentation to my family on existence of Santa Clause. I can still remember using the aerial from our deceased cordless phone as a pointer to my singular slide of a page from the Sunday World as a means of describing the existence of Santa Clause. Not what one might call their 'Feynman experience', but one which instilled in me; "I must share information". I can still remember the enthusiasm I had, the feeling of knowing something and sharing it. Reflecting on it now actually brings tears to my eyes. It was such a beautiful experience. Teaching is absolutely beautiful. It's for me it's like art and music colliding... it really is just beautiful. You see, you can't see teaching as some person disseminating information, it's more than that. It's a process of transference and from all the teachers in the world I doubt 90% of them realise this transference.

I can still recall in German class in the leaving cert, being told by one of my classmates; "you'd make a good teacher". I didn't know what she meant, I really didn't think of things like this. I wanted to be a biochemist, I wanted to be the next Hans Krebs, I wanted to study enzyme reactions and how we might use different proteins to manipulate enzymes, this supposition made by my classmate seemed completely out of the blue. I didn't pick up on this, like any compliment to me I usually brush it off with slight awkwardness and say something like "ah well you know..."

Now, it's 2007. I've just started my second year of an arts course. This is it, I want to be a town planner, I want to have the letters; BA (NUI), MRUP, MRTPI, MIPI after my name. This year was different though, we had an extra special subject in our programme called 'Environmental Economics'. This was difficult, our lecturer didn't give good notes and nobody understood anything, little did I know that this would be a life changing experience.

I am an obsessive person sometimes, I love, I absolutely need and crave to know something, next to craving love I crave knowledge. I don't do it to be the best, for there are others better than me by hundreds of miles. I just love to know what something is, just for the sake of it. Now, back in our class we were given a test in the middle of the term. Now, I sent around an email saying 'we should have a study session etc...' Got some replies, I thought this was going to be one of those sit around the desk and talk about stuff... how wrong was I.

I walked into the room, notes in hand, white board clear, and a group of about twenty of my classmates and some others I didn't recognise. I was shaking. I was the one here to help these people because I apparently came up with a method of doing discounting that was manageable.

So, I started going through the topics that were to be examined for the exam, even thinking about it brings tears of joy to my eyes. It was something out of this world, extraordinary. I started off on my first topic; I knew it so well I talked about it such clear and concise detail. I took peoples' questions and responded with absolute ease. I can still picture their expressions in my eyes, their focused eyes peered deeply at my graphs, and they hung on my every word. I remember a great lecturer call into the room and say "hope you're not trying to take my job", I still remember my awkwardness at such a supposition.

I talked about environmental economics for 90 minutes solid; I didn't stop only to take questions. And at the end of it, people understood. Just remembering it, brings on the tears, the joy I witnessed in their faces was palpable. It was beautiful; I simply can't quantify it because it was such a perfect moment. This was my watershed; this was when people said to me; "are you going to be a lecturer?". Without a doubt this was my El Alamein, this was when I found something else in me. This was teaching.

I continued on with my degree, I would teach five or one but I was teaching. This was something I fell in love with; I relish the thought of people listening to my every word as it feeds their thirst for knowledge. I thought when I had time, when I didn't I would send my notes and see what happened. I ended up teaching some postgraduate students in subjects similar to my field of expertise. I just loved the thought of teaching, the freedom of expression, the joy of it all.

You see folks, teaching is such a beautiful thing, and it’s only the state that makes it ugly. Teaching is an expression of love, it really is the antithesis of selflessness and selfishness combined, because you enjoy seeing a student learning, but you enjoy seeing how you did that. I don't know what makes a good teacher, but I do know that it is more than love of subject, it is love of people. It is working to see people progress, it is giving somebody the ability to strive, to move up. This is crucial, because if you don't feel something towards your students, you will be lost. Teaching really is the personification of love and art, I keep saying this but it really is beautiful. I honestly think that if teaching was a musical composition it would have to be this.

I still remember the shakes, the nervous I felt talking to my first audience. However, this was an act, I was a player and this was a play. This is teaching. You will be nervous but you will overcome this with self-confidence. If you believe in yourself, others will follow and this is what happens in teaching.

I could spend hours and hours talking about this, but I think the bulk of what I wanted to say has been said.

Some people run marathons, others play football, I love to teach and that is all.

Disclaimer!!!

I should advice anyone reading anything written by me that it is purely for the intention of:

• Talking bullshit, for the sake of bullshit;
• Shit stirring, for the sake of it;
• Satire and Criticism;
• Hyperbole of something I have a view on;
• Hungover/drunken ramblings.

Under no circumstances, must any reader take anything I say to heart.

Or, equally anyone riding in on that great high horse, better dismount because you'll end up on your arse otherwise.

I'm not a cunt, but eventually I will lose my patience. Keep this disclaimer in mind:

Disclaimer

"The views expressed by the author of said blog are not the expressed views and opinions of R.P. Flood. All views and opinions expressed here are those of the author unless otherwise stated to be those of Mr. Flood. Views expressed in this blog purported to be those of Mr. Flood will only be verified by Mr. Flood expressly."
26th January 2010

Have a nice day!

SHUT UP WOMAN, GET ON MY HORSE!

Okay, I just came across this through my nightly peruse of boards.ie

The website is called: http://www.shutupwomangetonmyhorse.com/

You seriously need to be on something to listen to this, because it's essentially the same lyrics and tune repeated over and over again. You'll see what I mean!

What does this video mean? Well it could be interpreted as a post-modernist approach to experimental synth and electro-pop. Or it could be the creation of a bored individual who needed something to watch while 'tripping balls' and needed a distraction. Personally, I think it's something that should never be listened to for more than 1 minute. It's hypnotically attractive which is dangerous, considering the backlash endured by such hypnotically attractive pieces of music:

Ozone's "Dragostea din tei"

Richard Wagner's "Ride of the Valkyries"

Phil Collin's "Su Su Sudio"

Lady Gaga's "Poker Face"

Bonnie Tyler's "Total Eclipse of the heart"

etc...

The problem with tunes like this, they have an intoxicating, almost addictive trait. One is almost consumed by the music and this can pose certain problems, including looking like a jackass singing them when drunk. I fear that music is in a slow downward spiral into the abyss, tragic as it sounds it's something that is unstoppable. Like the Vietcong progression through the dense jungles of Vietnam and Cambodia, music will continue to decline and this, alas is something that must be lamented.

Is there a future renaissance in music?

No.

Why?

Because renaissance entails some form of 'rebirth' and the problem is, music is never reborn, it's more like a person addicted to plastic surgery, and whom is changed beyond recognition. Furthermore, anyone who might have had the balls to challenge the dogma and hegemony held by EMI, Sony etc... is either; dead, dying, or has completely lost the feeling in their faces.

All we can do is hope and pray that "Shut Up Woman, Get on My Horse" doesn't become a ringtone (remember the crazy frog experience?), or the 45, 45A, 122, all the 70s buses will be indeed a more intolerable experience than at present.

MSc - what's the point?

Right, I started an MSc in Environmental Science in Trinity College, Dublin. Now it sounds good doesn't it? It sounds good to have "MSc (Dub)" after one's name? Of course it does! However I fail to see the point of it anymore.

Firstly, does anyone really give a damn about the environment? In all honesty which would you give your money to when the charity advertisements come up on television; the ISPCC or Green Peace?

Secondly, education is the most overrated activity in the developed world. It's merely an extension of wallowing and self righteousness, am I right? Really the benefits of education usually only lead you to question; Why am I so poor? Why am I not attractive? Why do I not have a girlfriend/boyfriend? Why am I writing a blog? The lesson is without education, one would enjoy blissful ignorance!

Third, education entails some level of superiority or inferiority. You either went to a university or an IT, or you went to UCD instead of TCD, or you're smarter or more stupid than some of your friends, or you got a 2.2 instead of a 2.1 or a 2.1 instead of a 1st. The lesson is education promotes hierarchies and classes within the system. Who would want to join something where you're social order is dependent on your ability to read Habermas or understand Inductively Coupled Plasma - Optical Emission Spectrometry?

Finally and most importantly, education and college usually entail 'student activities'. I won't lie, I wasn't a hit with the ladies, and Jesus Christ have I missed out on a lot of funkyzeit mit damen! Yes, my time at college has been one of loneliness and self loathing, however without college I would have never had experienced this. Reason, I would have gotten a job straight out of school back in the before time (2006), I could have bought my Honda Civic, started going out with ladies in my social pecking order and boomb! No more reading Lyotard or Wittgenstein on a Saturday night!

The lesson is, what have I learned from going to college?

Nothing!

I'm still unhappy, I've learned a lot but all for nothing really because at the end of the day most of us will end up on one of these, and I'm back to square one where I began back in 2006. I wonder, does "have you ever seen the backseat of a honda civic?" still work as a chat-up line in one of the local nightclubs?