Incoming!

Image from Tes.com


Incoming!

Jack, the Beanstalk, and the "incoming global slowdown".

Incoming as in "ordnance"? (Glossary of Military Terms & Slang)

TheStar: Canada must prepare for incoming global slowdown

• The Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development says the world economy will only grow 2.9 per cent this year and next — the poorest performance since the global financial crisis of a decade ago. For Canada, the OECD sees growth stumbling along at about 1.6 per cent.

It's not stopping, mind you, it's not even precipitously slowing down; it's just not speeding up as much as anticipated with all of the lucrative climate change remedies in the offing.

When I first saw that scary headline, two things popped immediately into my head.  One was the story of Jack and the Beanstalk, the other was the memory of a bean I had planted in a pot of soil and then given to my daughter for her bedroom window sill, when she was about 10, anticipating that she would have fun and amazement watching how quickly it grew into a big leafy vine.

It wasn't long before she asked if it could be kept in the kitchen instead. Her reason wasn't offered verbally nor asked for, but was easily read in her eyes and her frown. Clearly, her schooling had included the story of Jack and the Beanstalk, and though she was not likely to climb up to encounter a ravenous giant, she no doubt reckoned that the giant could wait until she fell asleep and climb down.

A very sensible child, she of course knew it was only a fairy tale, but dreamland was a strange-enough place so why offer an invitation to a hungry giant?  Well, giants are ravenous, aren't they? And wouldn't it have been better for all concerned if ours landed in a well-stocked kitchen?

Jack himself, of course, became wildly famous and namesakes appeared, down through the years, in all kinds of stories and poems, and he was even celebrated in movies (YouTube), and if you don't know that, then "you don't know Jack".

The people who would rule our world don't care to know Jack. Growth is their bag. The vine itself is everything; it must grow faster, bigger, higher, stronger, attracting enough interest to feed the hungry giant at the top.  Yes, we may sing about Canada strong and "free", but the truth is that everything must be OECD'd at all times, building "better policies for better lives" and "establishing international norms".

Surprisingly, the CBC reports that the Bank of Canada was recently consulted -- très shocker! --  about "the Future of Cash in Canada". When the BOC no longer prints paper money, will it exist at all? Especially since Canada does its borrowing elsewhere in order to wrack up exorbitant interest in the interests of the real banks.

QualicumInstitute:

• ... around 1974, the Government of Canada began to borrow ... from the private sector at interest rather than creating money through the Bank of Canada interest-free. In other words, since 1974, the Bank of Canada has not been acting in the best interest of its shareholders: the people of Canada.

The Bank of Canada certainly doesn't cash cheques or provide savings accounts to the public, although it does make and sell commemorative gold coins, and prints cash money -- for the time being at least. It's pretty much a kind of sentimental figurehead, like the Governor General, who can be just about anybody these days.

Taking a closer look at the CBC article:  I admit to being to being somewhat comforted by the comments made about cash by Timothy Lane, the Bank's deputy governor (though one must remain cognizant of the ravenous Giant in the background):

• "Cash works even when the systems are down,  when the power goes out and people can still make payments  using bank notes," said Lane. "Second, bank notes offer privacy for your transactions. You can use them without giving anyone your personal or your banking information. Using cash avoids the risk of being hacked or having your card compromised."

Methinks the man makes too much sense; he'd better watch his back. He's giving all the reasons I've put forth over the years. And I well recall moving up to the head of a long, tedious line in a drug store because the "system" had "gone down" and I had cash in my pocket while the other would-be shoppers had to decide whether or not it was worth waiting around.  The memory of that kinda makes up for the following:

Just a couple of days ago in a grocery store, the line was held up for ten minutes or so by the woman ahead of me who was attempting to use an uncooperative card, and who finally had to leave her purchases behind and run out to the bank -- but the fellow behind me waited only a couple of seconds, once my purchases had been rung through, because I paid in cash.

I see this happening all the time!

Technology is not going to make this a better, safer, speedier world. It's going to control all of us and the Bank of Canada knows that, and has itself already been impacted.

It's also going to show us the true purpose of our revered institutions.  The same Toronto Star article that expresses concern about market slowdowns, has exposed the inherent lie in the traditional November poppy market, which has now developed "virtual poppies" so that people can pay with cards and simply post effigies of their poppies online.

Spit, spot, duty done! It's not about "remembrance", it's not about encouraging peace in the world (obviously); it's about raising money for the Legion whose membership is now open to the general public and is widely thought of as primarily a social club, a place to throw parties and/or sit around getting pie-eyed.

What they say they do looks good in print; but how about in reality?  Why do so many veterans continue to remain in dire straits?  Check out a DuckDuckGo search.  The Legion has supposedly been working on their behalf for close to 85 years.

According to IPolitics, the first ever Legion forum on the subject of ignored veterans was held in 2014!

• Many factors push veterans onto the street, including addictions, family problems and mental health issues. In her research, Western University School of Nursing Professor Cheryl Forchuk found evidence of a 20-year gap between the point  individuals leave the military and when they end up on the streets. That gap, she said, can be attributed to underlying issues like alcoholism.
• “Alcoholism is a very big thing. It takes years of drinking before it really takes its toll,” she told iPolitics at the first-ever forum on veterans homelessness at the Royal Ottawa Legion headquarters in April.

It seems our wars serve little constructive purpose other than to provide jobs for people who can't find work elsewhere and profits for those who know how to manipulate the system. Major General Smedly Butler knew what it was all about, the biggest lie being that it's all about "security".

Download his book: War is a Racket

Yet we're still treated to claptrap like this:

Globe editorial: Why increase Canadian military spending? One word: Trump

•  ... because, as Ms. Freeland put it, "to rely solely on the U.S. security umbrella would make us a client state."

It's not the first lie Freeland has told, and it won't be the last. But you can be certain, that the financial "downturn" will be solved by increased bellicosity, and the "climate" issue will be a massive source of profits.

Having giants at the tops of bean stalks is now a good thing for all concerned, especially since the most recent TV/movie version of "Jack and the Beanstalk - the real story" casts Jack, not the giant, as the real villain:

IMDB:

• In order to save his own life and the world of the giants, Jack must right the wrongs of the past and return the magical harp and goose that lays the golden eggs to their rightful home.

Way to teach the public to have sympathy for the giants!

CPExecutive: How Fighting Climate Change Can Increase Profits

• Price drops in the technology sector have made energy efficiency and sustainability more attainable, so building owners and investors have become more conscious when it comes to their assets’ carbon emissions.

Meanwhile, Jack is charged a carbon tax.

• I expect we’ll continue to see unprecedented market growth in the coming years as these goals and cost reductions solidify into action ... It will only happen when it is highly profitable and easy for landlords to act. All the continued cost reductions will simply make it easier and yet more profitable for landlords to cut their emissions while increasing profits. It’s going to be an exciting next few decades.

​As long as Jack is able to pay the increase in his rent after paying his carbon tax.