11-17-2004, 09:26 PM
Well Xmas for means I have to save up all year in order to go home and spend time with my family, and right now it means blowing every penny in my bank account; I don't begrudge a single one!
11-17-2004, 09:26 PM
11-17-2004, 11:03 PM
I love Christmas because I like christmas music and decorations, including some houses that look like Blackpool Illuminations 
As a DJ I have been playing Christmas songs (Slade, Wizard etc.) as well as other tunes at the Special Adventure Playground and NSAAA Christmas discos.
Also I have family meals which I like because I get to see my family, including my 2 little NT cousins which I enjoy playing with. The food my Nanna and Grandad prepare is excellent!
I don't really do much in the New Year as I used to. I used to go to new year house parties which don't have a lot of people, and It's something I'm used to. But now me and mum celebrate the new year at home, and the best thing is the fireworks!
As a DJ I have been playing Christmas songs (Slade, Wizard etc.) as well as other tunes at the Special Adventure Playground and NSAAA Christmas discos.Also I have family meals which I like because I get to see my family, including my 2 little NT cousins which I enjoy playing with. The food my Nanna and Grandad prepare is excellent!
I don't really do much in the New Year as I used to. I used to go to new year house parties which don't have a lot of people, and It's something I'm used to. But now me and mum celebrate the new year at home, and the best thing is the fireworks!
11-22-2004, 05:41 PM
What are Bush Warps? Or should I ask "What did Bush Warp?" I'm (wrongly?) assuming it's something political.
:wink:
--nlek
:wink:
--nlek
Mich Wrote:
For Christmas, I don't want any gifts (other than Model Magic, because I've liked it since kindergarten when I first discovered it). Most of the gifts I got in the past years came from past obsessions, so I want to avoid embarrassment. This year, I decided to make gifts for my family (yes, Bush Warps and stuff like that), [...]
:!: Mich :?:
:!: Mich :?:
11-23-2004, 06:26 AM
Brightma's Xmas motto: Eat till it hurts, drink till it stops hurting!
I've lived that dream for 4 Xmasses so far, about to make it a 5th! :lol:
I've lived that dream for 4 Xmasses so far, about to make it a 5th! :lol:
11-23-2004, 12:51 PM
BAH HUMBUG !!!!!
11-23-2004, 01:09 PM
11-23-2004, 11:33 PM
That was really funny; especially the way everything I tried made him better looking!
11-24-2004, 03:53 AM
Is the test to see how long you will sit there waiting for it to load while it dosent do anything?
11-25-2004, 09:59 AM
giftmas
12-29-2004, 02:48 PM
Good question, my daughter has aspie traits and is very logical, she is 8 and last year worked out that Santa couldnt exist, despite him visting all the kids in school etc, this year a girl has been bullying her because she doesnt belive in Santa :evil:
Amongst other things, she told her that she wont get any presents at xmas, and that she had written to Santa to tell him about my daughter.
We contacted the school about it to try and sort it out, but how spiteful of a kid to do that anyway, what is the point in having joyful stories to tell kids when they use it against other kids. :roll:
Amongst other things, she told her that she wont get any presents at xmas, and that she had written to Santa to tell him about my daughter.
We contacted the school about it to try and sort it out, but how spiteful of a kid to do that anyway, what is the point in having joyful stories to tell kids when they use it against other kids. :roll:
01-05-2005, 01:54 AM
I could do without all the crap that comes with the "Holidaze", I usually shut off the radio and tv until it's over. Hearing Beyonce over a restaurant stereo singing a "sexy" christmas medley made me want to worship the porcelain god. And this was three days after Xmas!!!!
Sheeeeeesh! My poor wife works as a pharmacist at the local Wal-mart and has to listen to that merde for the entire 10 hour shift.
Bah Humbug!!!
Sheeeeeesh! My poor wife works as a pharmacist at the local Wal-mart and has to listen to that merde for the entire 10 hour shift.
Bah Humbug!!!
01-05-2005, 01:00 PM
This Cargo Cultist thing sounds fascinating, I have previously heard of the South Sea Bubble, that led people to buy things in a frenzy as they felt they would be missing out on a great bargain, kind of like xmas too.
01-05-2005, 04:29 PM
Amazing!
Heres some information on the South Sea Bubble-
The South Sea Bubble
When: 1711
Where: United Kingdom
The amount the market declined from peak to bottom: In 1711, stocks in the South Sea Company were traded for 1000 British pounds (unadjusted for inflation) and then were reduced to nothing. A massive amount of money was lost.
Synopsis: In the 1700s, the British empire was the big dog on the block, and that particular block spanned the entire globe. For the British, the eighteenth century was a time of prosperity and opulence, meaning a large section of the population had money to invest and were looking for places to put their money. So, the South Sea Company had no problem attracting investors when, with an IOU to the government worth £10,000,000.00, the company purchased the "rights" to all trade in the South Seas.
The few companies offering stock at that time were all solid but difficult investments to buy. For example, the East India Company was paying out considerable tax-free dividends to their mere 499 investors. The SSC was perched on top of what was perceived to be the most lucrative monopoly on earth.
The first issue of stock didn't even satiate the voracious appetite of the hardcore speculators, let alone the average investors who were assured of this company's coming dominance. The popular conception was that Mexicans and South Americans were just waiting for someone to introduce them to the finery of wool and fleece in exchange for mounds of jewels and gold! So nobody questioned the repeated re-issues of stocks by the South Sea Company--people just bought the expensive stocks as fast as they were offered. It didn't matter either to investors that the company wasn't headed by experienced management. Those who lead the company, however, were born public relations directors, who set up offices furnished with affluence in the most extravagant quarters. People, once they saw the wealth the SSC was "generating," couldn't keep their money from gravitating towards the SSC.
Not long after the emergence of the SSC, another British company, the Mississippi Company, established itself in France. The company was the brainchild of an exiled Brit named John Law. His idea wasn't so much based in trade, but in switching the monetary system from gold and silver into a paper currency system. The Mississippi Company caught the attention of all the continental traders and gave them a space to put their hard-earned dollars. Soon the worth of the Mississippi Company's stock was worth 80 times more than all the gold and silver in France. Law also began collecting defunct companies to add to his massive conglomerate.
This success on the continent stirred British pride, and, believing that British companies could not fail, British investors were desperate to invest their money. They were blind to many indications that the SSC was run too poorly to break even (whole shipments of wool were misdirected and left decaying in foreign ports), and people wanted to buy even more stocks. The South Sea Company and others made a point of giving people what they wanted. The demand for investments caused IPOs to sprout out of everything, including companies that promised to reclaim sunshine from vegetables and to build floating mansions to extend Britain's landmass. They all sold like mad.
Eventually the management team of SSC took a step back and realized that the value of their personal shares in no way reflected the actual value of the company or its dismal earnings. So they sold their stocks in the summer of 1711 and hoped no one would leak the failure of the company to the other shareholders. Like all bad news, however, the knowledge of the actions of SSC management spread, and the panic selling of worthless certificates ensued. The huge hole in the south sea bubble also punctured the Mississippi Company's unrealistic value and both came crashing down.
A complete crash, which would be heralded by the folding of banks, was avoided due to the prominent economic position of the British Empire and the government's help in stabilizing the banking industry. The British government outlawed the issuing of stock certificates, a law that was not repealed until 1825.
Heres some information on the South Sea Bubble-
The South Sea Bubble
When: 1711
Where: United Kingdom
The amount the market declined from peak to bottom: In 1711, stocks in the South Sea Company were traded for 1000 British pounds (unadjusted for inflation) and then were reduced to nothing. A massive amount of money was lost.
Synopsis: In the 1700s, the British empire was the big dog on the block, and that particular block spanned the entire globe. For the British, the eighteenth century was a time of prosperity and opulence, meaning a large section of the population had money to invest and were looking for places to put their money. So, the South Sea Company had no problem attracting investors when, with an IOU to the government worth £10,000,000.00, the company purchased the "rights" to all trade in the South Seas.
The few companies offering stock at that time were all solid but difficult investments to buy. For example, the East India Company was paying out considerable tax-free dividends to their mere 499 investors. The SSC was perched on top of what was perceived to be the most lucrative monopoly on earth.
The first issue of stock didn't even satiate the voracious appetite of the hardcore speculators, let alone the average investors who were assured of this company's coming dominance. The popular conception was that Mexicans and South Americans were just waiting for someone to introduce them to the finery of wool and fleece in exchange for mounds of jewels and gold! So nobody questioned the repeated re-issues of stocks by the South Sea Company--people just bought the expensive stocks as fast as they were offered. It didn't matter either to investors that the company wasn't headed by experienced management. Those who lead the company, however, were born public relations directors, who set up offices furnished with affluence in the most extravagant quarters. People, once they saw the wealth the SSC was "generating," couldn't keep their money from gravitating towards the SSC.
Not long after the emergence of the SSC, another British company, the Mississippi Company, established itself in France. The company was the brainchild of an exiled Brit named John Law. His idea wasn't so much based in trade, but in switching the monetary system from gold and silver into a paper currency system. The Mississippi Company caught the attention of all the continental traders and gave them a space to put their hard-earned dollars. Soon the worth of the Mississippi Company's stock was worth 80 times more than all the gold and silver in France. Law also began collecting defunct companies to add to his massive conglomerate.
This success on the continent stirred British pride, and, believing that British companies could not fail, British investors were desperate to invest their money. They were blind to many indications that the SSC was run too poorly to break even (whole shipments of wool were misdirected and left decaying in foreign ports), and people wanted to buy even more stocks. The South Sea Company and others made a point of giving people what they wanted. The demand for investments caused IPOs to sprout out of everything, including companies that promised to reclaim sunshine from vegetables and to build floating mansions to extend Britain's landmass. They all sold like mad.
Eventually the management team of SSC took a step back and realized that the value of their personal shares in no way reflected the actual value of the company or its dismal earnings. So they sold their stocks in the summer of 1711 and hoped no one would leak the failure of the company to the other shareholders. Like all bad news, however, the knowledge of the actions of SSC management spread, and the panic selling of worthless certificates ensued. The huge hole in the south sea bubble also punctured the Mississippi Company's unrealistic value and both came crashing down.
A complete crash, which would be heralded by the folding of banks, was avoided due to the prominent economic position of the British Empire and the government's help in stabilizing the banking industry. The British government outlawed the issuing of stock certificates, a law that was not repealed until 1825.
01-05-2005, 04:40 PM
Yes, did you see the channel 4 documentary on it, it was very good.
The Tulip-Bulb Craze
When: 1634-1637
Where: Holland
The amount the market declined from peak to bottom: This number is difficult to calculate, but, we can tell you that at the peak of the market, a person could trade a single tulip for an entire estate, and, at the bottom, one tulip was the price of a common onion.
Synopsis: In 1593 tulips were brought from Turkey and introduced to the Dutch. The novelty of the new flower made it widely sought after and therefore fairly pricey. After a time, the tulips contracted a non-fatal virus known as mosaic, which didn't kill the tulip population but altered them causing "flames" of color to appear upon the petals. The color patterns came in a wide variety, increasing the rarity of an already unique flower. Thus, tulips, which were already selling at a premium, began to rise in price according to how their virus alterations were valued, or desired. Everyone began to deal in bulbs, essentially speculating on the tulip market, which was believed to have no limits.
The true bulb buyers (the garden centers of the past) began to fill up inventories for the growing season, depleting the supply further and increasing scarcity and demand. Soon, prices were rising so fast and high that people were trading their land, life savings, and anything else they could liquidate to get more tulip bulbs. Many Dutch persisted in believing they would sell their horde to hapless and unenlightened foreigners, thereby reaping enormous profits. Somehow, the originally overpriced tulips enjoyed a twenty-fold increase in value--in one month!
Needless to say, the prices were not an accurate reflection of the value of a tulip bulb. As it happens in many speculative bubbles, some prudent people decided to sell and crystallize their profits. A domino effect of progressively lower and lower prices took place as everyone tried to sell while not many were buying. The price began to dive, causing people to panic and sell regardless of losses.
Dealers refused to honor contracts and people began to realize they traded their homes for a piece of greenery; panic and pandemonium were prevalent throughout the land. The government attempted to step in and halt the crash by offering to honor contracts at 10% of the face value, but then the market plunged even lower, making such restitution impossible. No one emerged unscathed from the crash. Even the people who had locked in their profit by getting out early suffered under the following depression.
The effects of the tulip craze left the Dutch very hesitant about speculative investments for quite some time. Investors now can know that it is better to stop and smell the flowers than to stake your future upon one.
link to similar investment crazes-
http://www.investopedia.com/features/crashes/
The Tulip-Bulb Craze
When: 1634-1637
Where: Holland
The amount the market declined from peak to bottom: This number is difficult to calculate, but, we can tell you that at the peak of the market, a person could trade a single tulip for an entire estate, and, at the bottom, one tulip was the price of a common onion.
Synopsis: In 1593 tulips were brought from Turkey and introduced to the Dutch. The novelty of the new flower made it widely sought after and therefore fairly pricey. After a time, the tulips contracted a non-fatal virus known as mosaic, which didn't kill the tulip population but altered them causing "flames" of color to appear upon the petals. The color patterns came in a wide variety, increasing the rarity of an already unique flower. Thus, tulips, which were already selling at a premium, began to rise in price according to how their virus alterations were valued, or desired. Everyone began to deal in bulbs, essentially speculating on the tulip market, which was believed to have no limits.
The true bulb buyers (the garden centers of the past) began to fill up inventories for the growing season, depleting the supply further and increasing scarcity and demand. Soon, prices were rising so fast and high that people were trading their land, life savings, and anything else they could liquidate to get more tulip bulbs. Many Dutch persisted in believing they would sell their horde to hapless and unenlightened foreigners, thereby reaping enormous profits. Somehow, the originally overpriced tulips enjoyed a twenty-fold increase in value--in one month!
Needless to say, the prices were not an accurate reflection of the value of a tulip bulb. As it happens in many speculative bubbles, some prudent people decided to sell and crystallize their profits. A domino effect of progressively lower and lower prices took place as everyone tried to sell while not many were buying. The price began to dive, causing people to panic and sell regardless of losses.
Dealers refused to honor contracts and people began to realize they traded their homes for a piece of greenery; panic and pandemonium were prevalent throughout the land. The government attempted to step in and halt the crash by offering to honor contracts at 10% of the face value, but then the market plunged even lower, making such restitution impossible. No one emerged unscathed from the crash. Even the people who had locked in their profit by getting out early suffered under the following depression.
The effects of the tulip craze left the Dutch very hesitant about speculative investments for quite some time. Investors now can know that it is better to stop and smell the flowers than to stake your future upon one.
link to similar investment crazes-
http://www.investopedia.com/features/crashes/
01-05-2005, 08:02 PM
Tulips - reminds me of the time I showed my guitar teacher the Kenneth Baker version of 'Tulips from Amsterdam' from 'The Complete Keyboard Player' - he laughed his arse off for 10 whole minutes (we both did)
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