EYE-BALL’s Herman on – Democrazy Part XIII Thought Broker Conference – Battle of the Think Tanks

Title: Democrazy Part XIII Thought Broker Conference – Battle of the Think Tanks. By: Herman O’Hermitage

On November 12 ‘Thought Brokers’ are holding an event – The Battle of the Think Tanks. – please see story using this link. ‘Thought Brokers’ are a communication consultancy and many might dismiss the debate as a simple exercise in self promotion. The very thought is quite provoking. A question will always remain about the vested interest of the parties. I for one could not be bothered with those fringe elements like “politics in the pub” as they attract the radical, and when you get too close to their issues, you find yourself only mixing with wingers and bleeding hearts. ‘Thought Brokers’ appear to really pitch at the professional economist. The event is beyond the means of the down and out, and of no consequential cost to those with corporate expense accounts. Many might dismiss this event, as by very definition, it is self promotion. I still remain perplexed by the pre amble. The last century has seen the rise and fall of communism, fascism and socialism. [David Hetherington (executive director of Per Capita) taken from page 4 of Sun Herald Extra 6/11/2011]. I would prefer to say since the renaissance/enlightenment all totally radical systems of government have come about to overcome excesses and in turn fail, due to corruption or newer observed excesses. Fascism is as good as any example. Benito Mussolini believed he was Il Duce. Where is that removed from Henry VIII formation of the Church of England due to his perceived issues with the Vatican. After the Tudor reign Britain under the house of Stuart went on to fight a series of wars over the Divine Right of Kings (the Jacobites), where Westminster has its antecedents. When you then go on to consider the French Revolution, and the American War of Independence and so on, our modern philosophy are an amalgam of all of that history and argued in the moment. What is most undeniable, is that our current mess of excess sovereign debt is strongly attributable to supply side economics going unchecked, with several other contributing factors. If you think only of supply side economics you will re evaluate the Austrian School of Economics on concentration of economic power. If you think of Italy or Greece it is quite different, you must acknowledge overly generous social security systems where the resultant debts were not budgeted for from current income. They were left to future generations, excess government debt. Most might attempt to label that Socialist. Socialists have been observed to show little respect for government debt. If you attempt to parallel United Kingdom or USA to Greece or Italy there is stark contrast. In Britain or USA a very large part of sovereign debt is the bail out of corporations. There are other issues like militarily over extending themselves. You must mention both the asset bubbles and even a banking consumer credit bubble. Then there is the failure to adequately tax the rich. In Italy and Greece there is overly cheap access to the capital markets courtesy of the creation of the Euro zone, then there is over belief in a welfare state, and failure to respect sovereign debt obligations. Somewhere within the preamble of the Battle of the Think Tanks, there is reference to China now being a free market economy but by no means a democracy. It is a totalitarian government according to western democracies. Very importantly it is growing faster than any other in international economic significance. In simplistic terms like communist, or fascist or socialist it is hard to describe China, centralised planning, with laisse faire abounding, but strict abhorrence of some national crimes we do not understand, therefore label undemocratic. Where ordering and classification has helped scientific research throughout the ages, in this case bogging down on nomenclature, detracts from the real issue. Democracy is after all merely an ideology. Is it right do describe what we can’t understand or fathom undemocratic. We extol the virtues of government of the people, by the people, for the people, but what does that really mean? What makes Australia more democratic than China, or any other. Once every 3 years we hold democratic elections. For 1 day in a cycle of 3 years we listen to the judgement of the people on their leadership, not individual issues. What happens when you don’t like the choices? A two party politic, with rhetoric that can only be divided by a concept of left and right. A left and a right not really understood yet supported by probably 80% on philosophical lines. Far too often we perceive that our leaders will only listen to us at that time and we can be collectively bought, with brazen tax cuts and rhetoric and ideology. Today as the Carbon Tax passed the upper house Dr Bob Brown has dropped his absolute ban on alcohol in the parliamentary rooms. I find that so strange when there is so little electoral support for the Carbon Tax. How few realised 15 months ago as they had their day of democracy where it would lead to. I would tend to advocate that socialism is alive and well, and have read that it represents moderate communism, actually evolving to greater social equality. But only a few minutes ago said that Greece and Italy’s social welfare programmes are actually their undoing. The cause of so much of our current problems. I often think, that Hitler’s nazism is very close to fascism. Both had suppression of the perceived corrupting forces of a totalitarian regime. It is very similar to most of the communist dictatorships since World War II, including Tito in Yugoslavia. There are also parallels to many Asian dictatorships supported by the USA in the name of the cold war. There are also parallels to the Austrian School of economics. Economic concentration of resources is self correcting through mimicking and innovation. Moreover a monopoly (mono ploy) might be more efficient than a duopoly because excessive product differentiation advertising is not necessary, and ultimately is passed on to the consumer. How can the centralisation of economic power through News Corporation editorial every be an example of democracy? Democrazy yes, not democracy. The titbits of reporting where our Julia at G20 attempted to separate and reinvigorate the Doha Round of the WTO got very little reporting, call that virtually no traction. Why all this apathy and ignorance? Well for a start most don’t know, and if they do they don’t care. Well done PM. We have had a raft of think tanks lately. There was the taxation summit, then immediately followed by another totally forgettable news cycle event, then CHOGM, then G20, and soon we have APEC. It will be interesting to see what eventuates from the ‘Thought Broker’ Debate this Saturday. Quite likely nothing but a series of not very funny jokes. (and with canned laughter). I will not be attending but awaiting any feedback. Believing in sanity is insanity itself. ________________________________ Herman …

Democrazy Part XXII, Materialism Part V and Death and Taxes Part VI – Pride and Anger

EYE-BALL JokeZone – ‘A Martian Joke’

EYE-BALL JokeZone – ‘A Martian Joke’: Posted 8th Nov ’11

A Martian Joke: One day, a space ship landed in a farmer’s field and a Martian man and his wife got out and introduced themselves to the farmer and his wife. As a token of his friendship, the farmer immediately invited the Martian couple in his home and begged them to stay for the evening and have dinner, so the Martians agreed. Later that night, the Martian man explained how, on their planet, it was customary to swap partners as a token of friendship. The farmer, not wanting to offend his alien neighbors, readily agreed. Then, the Martian man took the farmer’s wife in one bedroom while the farmer took the Martian woman in another bedroom. They had been having sex for about an hour when the Martian man asked the farmer’s wife “Well, how do you like having sex with a Martian? How does it feel?” The farmer’s wife replied “It needs to be a little bigger around.” So the Martian man twisted his right ear and presto, his penis became bigger around. About an hour later, the Martian man asked the farmer’s wife again “How does it feel now?” The farmer’s wife responded “I think it needs to be a little longer.” So the Martian man twisted his left ear and presto, his penis became longer. The next morning, after their alien neighbors had left, the farmer and his wife were having coffee at the breakfast table and the farmer asked his wife “How was the Martian man?” To this, the farmer’s wife replied “Fine. And how about the Martian woman?” The farmer replied “That damn bitch yanked on my fucking ears all night long!” _______________________________

Most Popular/Visited EYE-BALL JokeZone links as at – 2nd Nov 2011: A must see ‘YouTube Video’ – Shark Ballet – [over 9 million YouTube hits – must see the ending] YouTube Post – ‘Charlie Sheen and his Goddesses’ – as real as it gets … Various – More ‘Little Johnny’ Jokes – 1 Stand Alone Joke – Little Johnny and Sis’ If you want to contribute and send content – please use this E-Mail Address: – be sure to include your ‘handle’ or name for accreditation purposes … all messages will be reviewed for suitability – no Porn, explicit violence or abuse please. Back to EYE-BALL JokeZone Index

The EYE-BALL JokeZone Index is an Australian produced site and presents a collection of Australian and International humour alike. You’ll find the content either in Joke format, a Video or YouTube upload, or in some stunningly beautiful Nature and other Worldly images presented in PPS format. You’ll also find some inter-active stuff if you’re so inclined. Bookmark the site and come back often as content is continuously being added and highlighted with “NEW”. Hope you smile a lot – it is about the only thing that keeps this World together … let humour do it for you and be happy !!!  If you want to contribute and send content – please use this E-Mail Address: – be sure to include your ‘handle’ or name for accreditation purposes … all messages will be reviewed for suitability – no Porn, explicit violence or abuse please.

EYE-BALL JokeZone – ‘Benefits of Parkinson’s’

EYE-BALL JokeZone – ‘Benefits of Parkinson’s’: Posted 8th Nov ’11

Benefits of Parkinson’s: Edna and Bill were two residents of a nursing home who had been carrying on a love affair. They were both 96 years old, and wheelchair bound. Every night, they would meet in the TV room Edna would passively hold Bill’s penis, and they would watch TV for an hour or so it wasn’t much, but it was all they had. One night Bill didn’t show up. He didn’t show up for the next two nights either.  Edna assumed he was dead, but then she saw him happily wheeling about the grounds. She confronted him and said: “Where were you these past couple of nights?” He replied: “If you must know, I was with another woman” “Bastard!” she cried “What were you doing?” “We do the exact same thing that you and I do,” he answered “Is she prettier or younger than I am?” she asked “Nope; she looks the same, and she is 98 years old,” Bill replied “Well then, what does she have that I don’t?” Edna asked Bill smiled slyly and said: “Parkinson’s disease” _______________________________

Most Popular/Visited EYE-BALL JokeZone links as at – 2nd Nov 2011: A must see ‘YouTube Video’ – Shark Ballet – [over 9 million YouTube hits – must see the ending] YouTube Post – ‘Charlie Sheen and his Goddesses’ – as real as it gets … Various – More ‘Little Johnny’ Jokes – 1 Stand Alone Joke – Little Johnny and Sis’ If you want to contribute and send content – please use this E-Mail Address: – be sure to include your ‘handle’ or name for accreditation purposes … all messages will be reviewed for suitability – no Porn, explicit violence or abuse please. Back to EYE-BALL JokeZone Index

The EYE-BALL JokeZone Index is an Australian produced site and presents a collection of Australian and International humour alike. You’ll find the content either in Joke format, a Video or YouTube upload, or in some stunningly beautiful Nature and other Worldly images presented in PPS format. You’ll also find some inter-active stuff if you’re so inclined. Bookmark the site and come back often as content is continuously being added and highlighted with “NEW”. Hope you smile a lot – it is about the only thing that keeps this World together … let humour do it for you and be happy !!!  If you want to contribute and send content – please use this E-Mail Address: – be sure to include your ‘handle’ or name for accreditation purposes … all messages will be reviewed for suitability – no Porn, explicit violence or abuse please.

EYE-BALL JokeZone – ‘Deserted Island’

EYE-BALL JokeZone – ‘Deserted Island’: Posted 8th Nov ’11

Deserted Island: A hard-working, ambitious yuppie finally decided to take a vacation. He booked himself on a Caribbean cruise and proceeded to have the time of his life . . . at least for awhile. Suddenly a hurricane came up unexpectedly. The ship foundered and sank almost instantly. The man came to on the shore of an island with no other people, no supplies, nothing. Only bananas and coconuts. Used to 4-star hotels, this guy had no idea what to do. So for the next 4 months he ate bananas, drank coconut juice, longed for his old life, and fixed his gaze on the sea, hoping to spot a rescue ship. One day, as he was lying on the beach, he spotted movement out of the corner of his eye. All of a sudden a rowboat appeared, and in it was the most gorgeous woman he had ever seen. She rowed up to him. In disbelief, he asked her: “Where did you come from? How did you get here?” “I rowed from the other side of the island,” she said, “I landed here when my cruise ship sank.” “Amazing,” he said, “I didn’t know anyone else had survived. How many of you are there? You were really lucky to have a rowboat wash up with you.” “It’s only me,” she said, “and the rowboat didn’t wash up, nothing did.” He was confused, “Then how did you get the rowboat?” “Oh, simple.” replied the woman, “I made the rowboat out of raw materials that I found on the island. The oars I whittled from Gum tree branches, I wove the bottom from Palm branches, and the sides and stern I made from a Eucalyptus tree.” “But – but, that’s impossible,” stuttered the man, “you had no tools or hardware. How did you manage?” “Oh, that was no problem,” replied the woman, “on the south side of the island there is a very unusual stratum of alluvial rock. I used that for tools, and used the tools to make the hardware. But, enough of that,” she said. “Where do you live?” Sheepishly he confessed that he had been sleeping on the beach the whole time. “Well, let’s row over to my place, then,” she said. After a few minutes of rowing, she docked the boat at a small wharf. As the man looked around him, he nearly fell out of the boat. Before him was a stone walk leading to an exquisite bungalow painted in blue and white. While the woman tied up the rowboat with an expertly woven hemp rope, the man could only stare ahead, dumbstruck. As they walked into the house, she said casually, “It’s not much, but I call it home. Sit down please; would you like a drink?” “No, no thank you” he said, still dazed. “I can’t take any more coconut juice.” “It’s not coconut juice,” the woman replied. “I have a still. How about a Pina Colada?” Trying to hide his continued amazement, the man accepted, and they sat down on her couch to talk. After they had exchanged their stories, the woman announced, “I’m going to slip into something more comfortable. Would you like to take a shower and shave? There is a razor upstairs in the cabinet in the bathroom.” No longer questioning anything, the man went into the bathroom. There, in the cabinet, he found a razor made from a bone handle. Two shells honed to a hollow ground edge were fastened on to its end inside a swivel mechanism. “This woman is amazing,” he mused, “what next?” When he returned, she greeted him wearing nothing but tropical vines and flowers-strategically placed-and smelling faintly of gardenias. She beckoned for him to sit down next to her. “Tell me,” she began, suggestively, slithering closer to him, “we’ve been out here for a very long time. You’ve been lonely. There’s something I’m sure you really feel like doing right now, something you’ve been longing for all these months? You know . . . ” She stared into his eyes. He couldn’t believe what he was hearing: “You mean . . . ?”, he replied, “I can check my e-mail from here?” _______________________________

Most Popular/Visited EYE-BALL JokeZone links as at – 2nd Nov 2011: A must see ‘YouTube Video’ – Shark Ballet – [over 9 million YouTube hits – must see the ending] YouTube Post – ‘Charlie Sheen and his Goddesses’ – as real as it gets … Various – More ‘Little Johnny’ Jokes – 1 Stand Alone Joke – Little Johnny and Sis’ If you want to contribute and send content – please use this E-Mail Address: – be sure to include your ‘handle’ or name for accreditation purposes … all messages will be reviewed for suitability – no Porn, explicit violence or abuse please. Back to EYE-BALL JokeZone Index

The EYE-BALL JokeZone Index is an Australian produced site and presents a collection of Australian and International humour alike. You’ll find the content either in Joke format, a Video or YouTube upload, or in some stunningly beautiful Nature and other Worldly images presented in PPS format. You’ll also find some inter-active stuff if you’re so inclined. Bookmark the site and come back often as content is continuously being added and highlighted with “NEW”. Hope you smile a lot – it is about the only thing that keeps this World together … let humour do it for you and be happy !!!  If you want to contribute and send content – please use this E-Mail Address: – be sure to include your ‘handle’ or name for accreditation purposes … all messages will be reviewed for suitability – no Porn, explicit violence or abuse please.

EYE-BALL JokeZone – ‘Hong Kong Dong ‘

EYE-BALL JokeZone – ‘Hong Kong Dong’: Posted 8th Nov ’11

Hong Kong Dong: A man goes to his doctor and complains that his penis is developing a bend in the middle. So the doctor ran a series of tests, and had the man return to his office to report the results. “Have you been in the Far East recently, within the last year or so? “Why, yes,” replied the man. “And did you have sex while over there?” The man looked worried. “Well, yes, once or twice.” The doctor’s face got a grave expression on it. “That’s what I was afraid of. You have a new disease that’s just starting to spread in this country. It’s called ‘Hong Kong Dong.” The man gulped. “What do you do for it? Is there a cure?” “Well, sort of. You see, there is no way to cure the disease, but you must have an operation.” “An operation? What kind of operation?” “We cut off your penis.” “Wow! Do you mind if I get a second opinion?” The doctor replied, “Of course not. In something of such a serious nature as this, I think you should get a second and a third opinion!” The man consulted a urologist who told him essentially the same story, diagnosis, prognosis, and recommended treatment. He was understandably upset, so he asked the second doctor to recommend another doctor for his third opinion. The urologist suggested that, since this disease originated in the Far East that he travel there, as the Asian doctors might know more about it. The guy promptly booked passage on an airline for Hong Kong, where he received an immediate consultation with the country’s most eminent physician. After a series of tests, he awaited the verdict. The doctor entered the examining room. “Well, is it Hong Kong Dong?” the man inquired, unable to wait. “Yes.” “And is it really incurable?” “Yes, there is no known cure.” The man’s face crumpled as he fought back tears. “And am I going to have an operation? Will they have to cut off my penis?” At that the man was astonished to see the doctor break into laughter. “What’s so funny, Doc? You mean I don’t have to have surgery?” As the doctor regained control of himself, he managed to choke out, Oh, those American doctors! Cut, clamp, sew! Surgery, surgery, all they can think of is surgery!” “I don’t have to have my penis cut off?” The man was overjoyed. “Of course not! Just wait a couple more weeks, and it’ll fall off by itself!” _______________________________

Most Popular/Visited EYE-BALL JokeZone links as at – 2nd Nov 2011: A must see ‘YouTube Video’ – Shark Ballet – [over 9 million YouTube hits – must see the ending] YouTube Post – ‘Charlie Sheen and his Goddesses’ – as real as it gets … Various – More ‘Little Johnny’ Jokes – 1 Stand Alone Joke – Little Johnny and Sis’ If you want to contribute and send content – please use this E-Mail Address: – be sure to include your ‘handle’ or name for accreditation purposes … all messages will be reviewed for suitability – no Porn, explicit violence or abuse please. Back to EYE-BALL JokeZone Index

The EYE-BALL JokeZone Index is an Australian produced site and presents a collection of Australian and International humour alike. You’ll find the content either in Joke format, a Video or YouTube upload, or in some stunningly beautiful Nature and other Worldly images presented in PPS format. You’ll also find some inter-active stuff if you’re so inclined. Bookmark the site and come back often as content is continuously being added and highlighted with “NEW”. Hope you smile a lot – it is about the only thing that keeps this World together … let humour do it for you and be happy !!!  If you want to contribute and send content – please use this E-Mail Address: – be sure to include your ‘handle’ or name for accreditation purposes … all messages will be reviewed for suitability – no Porn, explicit violence or abuse please.