Silicon Investor (SI) -- The First Internet Community

STOCKTALK

We've detected that you're using an ad content blocking browser plug-in or feature. Ads provide a critical source of revenue to the continued operation of Silicon Investor. We ask that you disable ad blocking while on Silicon Investor in the best interests of our community. If you are not using an ad blocker but are still receiving this message, make sure your browser's tracking protection is set to the 'standard' level.

Gold/Mining/Energy : Gold Price Monitor -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: Hawkmoon who wrote (43630)	10/23/1999 1:17:00 PM
From: Mark Bartlett	Read Replies (2) \| Respond to of 116759

Ron, <<All the elements are there, except the political unity, economic competitiveness, military capabilities, and the other element so very necessary to creating the psychological value of a particular currency. ?>> To an extent, I agree - for the present. But the realities of today's world may forge the union much more than we can now imagine - it happened in a place called the US, a while back. Also much of US "competitiveness", is the result of using cheap foreign labour, first-world technology and then repatriating the $. While technology has enhanced the productiveness of most first world countries, these advances tend to come in cycles. Now it is the computer/technology cycle. At some point in time, when this technology is more worldly, this will wind down, we will again reach an equilibrium - and then the whole cycle will start again. I am concerned that if more of what this world has to offer, is not shared by more people throughout the world, there will be big problems ahead. Offering 3rd world countries endless credit and loans is not the answer - in fact it appears to me, it has failed terribly. Relegating those people to menial tasks that serve the interests of first world countries in perpetuity, does not seem right to me. It seems to me that no matter what these countries and their peoples do, they will never be able to match our advances. Their currencies will always be manipulated, at the slightest whim of weakness and to serve the needs of the US. They will never compete effectively against a US reserve currency. <<And I believe weakening the US dollar is only temporary. Fundamentally, the dollar is stronger because our economy is stronger. >> Of course overall this is true, but what makes a strong economy? Is it a stock market that only knows one direction. Is it having the best technology? Is it sacrifice by the people? It is, of course, all of these things and much more. But when I look around this world, we seem to get a lot more out of this world than others, with much less effort. For me, this board is not just about monitoring the price of gold. It is about preserving value systems on a global scale - including our own. It is clear to me, that the US's present goal is to dominate the world. One way of doing that is through the use of their dollar as the world's reserve currency. In perpetuity, the value of something will always be tied to the US dollar. Microsoft operates the same way. They clearly do NOT produce the best software in many areas, but regardless their s/w dominates. Why? - because they are always in your face. I would much rather use WordPerfect and find it a much better program, but at work I use WORD. WORD was a few cents cheaper - but IMO far inferior. So - are we to have a world that truly has the best out there for its citizens, or one that has inferior options dominating, regardless which is the best. I'll recount a story that happened last year here in Canada, but involved our 2 countries. A Canadian company developed a very advanced optical satellite system - apparently nothing else in the world is better. We asked your military to launch it for us - they said "no" because it was a threat to their security (despite the fact we said they could use it and despite the fact we are, supposedly, good friends). "Well" - we said, fine, we will have another country launch it. Lo and behold the US military had a change of heart and decided that launching it was not such a bad idea after all. This left a very bad taste in my mouth. Our good "friends" would not fire up a satellite for us (it was a military threat, they said .... Canada .. yea right!), until we threatened to have someone else do it. Bet you did not see that story in the WSJ. I could go on with other examples, but what's the point now - their benefits have long been replaced by "superior" American products . Frankly, I do not want a world dominated by the US or US dollars, or anyone else's country or dollars, for that matter. I want one where there is a mutual recognition of the need to cooperate; one that recognize the "best" no matter where it is from; and one that makes this place we call "earth" a better place for everyone. Ron, the old cold (military) war has just been replaced by an economic cold war. Sorry if this seems like I am dumping on the US people -such really is not the case. I am dumping on a system that allows crap like this to happen. IMO it is not in the best interests of the people that make up this planet - and that is ALL of us. Sorry to ramble - had a little extra time on my hands today<G> Regards, MB