stealth wealth

If I were ever to be wealthy, I would like to be stealthily wealthy.

I don't want to wear flashy clothes that draw attention to me, or drive a big car. I want to travel standard class and not get annoyed with the other passengers.

I don't want to go on expensive holidays, or have a big house. I just want to know what the best films are and have a chance to see them.

I don't want a big heavy gold watch, or all the latest gadgets. I want a Mac laptop, or two, that connect to the internet and work fine most of the time.

I don't want to mix with all the best people, and be seen dining out. I want to keep up with old friends and meet some new people.

I would like enough money to invest, that I did not need to work too hard, and had enough to look after my family. And when I am all gone, it can buy some land to plant trees on.

geek gifts for Christmas

some early gift suggestions for the geek in your life,

bagpipe wii controller - use the miracles of our tartan bluetooth to play the Scottish pipes on your Scotch wii along with all your favourite bagpipe stars, features many popular classics. Does not function as a bagpipe. Not for use by children under 36 months. Ear defenders are advisable but are not provided.

wax cylinder usb convertor - is your house full of old wax cylinders that you would love to listen to on your iPod, or MP3 player, then buy the wax cylinder usb convertor, connect it to your Unix computer using the scsi cable provided, and then load up the handy punched cards into the attractively styled punch card convertor which easily connects to your Mac or Windows PC by usb. Does not work on OS versions above Mac 7.1 or Windows XP. An ideal Christmas gift. Not available for export or suitable for children due to high lead content.

wifi powered humping dog - use the free power provided by wifi, to power this amusing plastic humping dog model, on a warm day may provide nearly enough power to work. Has been known produce freestyle microwaves so not to be used in close proximity to women of child bearing age, or near groin areas.

the death of meritocracy

There was an interesting piece recently by Douglas Coupland predicting the death of the middle class.

http://boingboing.net/2010/10/09/douglas-couplands-de.html

There is certainly something happening, though I am not sure that it is exactly the death of the middle class. I suspect that it might be the death of the meritocracy. Because we broadly live in a meritocratic society, we tend to assume that things have always been meritocratic and will always be meritocratic. But look back a few hundred years and you were born to your station in life, and there was virtually no potential for social mobility. Those 'middle class' type jobs that might exist for those not born to the landed gentry, required substantial capital and expertise. The sheer amount of very specific and expensive equipment required to be a printer or a miller put those occupations beyond anyone not borne to it.

There were very substantial barriers to entry for these occupations.

I grew up in an era when if you were bright enough and did well at school you could go to university and about 10% of the school did. In theory with a degree you were capable of one of the more skilled but not highly specific jobs that existed and with luck you could obtain one. Now about 50% of the school go to university, accumulate a significant debt, but the chances of obtaining a job have diminished significantly. Currently 17 teaching students are chasing every job, in a profession where the supply and demand are pretty much entirely controlled by the government.

http://news.scotsman.com/scotland/Talent-39being-wasted39-as-17.6550905.jp

A lot of formerly graduate level jobs that required intelligence and flexibility are now disappearing. IT is allowing processes to be streamlined, Amazon replaces thousands of stores, algorithms replace expertise, banks don't really need 'bank managers' anymore.

There is a gap opening up between the superstar jobs that require brains, and the generic jobs that are not difficult to fill, the call centres and salespeople.

We need to think carefully about what sort of society we actually want to live in and figure out how to get there. By merely blundering on we risk returning to a very unequal society with no social mobility.