Tuesday, May 20, 2014

we all make mistakes


It appears that along with several other websites I was duped by the story I posted a few days ago about the millions of unsold cars clogging parking lots all over the world. Lindsay brought this to my attention in a comment he'd left earlier today linked to a Bloomberg article.

I can only blame myself since I should have been more suspicious after having looked at Vince Lewis's website (he who posted the article) where I found no references in any of his posts. Just because I found the link on a trustworthy site doesn't absolve my error.

Nevertheless, this doesn't mean all is well with industry and commerce in general. The story sounded right then, and in essence, still does. What is true is that the world is in a crisis of overproduction and the force of such exponential growth is very dangerous. No matter when those pictures were taken those fields of cars are a wake up call to those willing and able to listen.

ps: I couldn't resist this frog picture

new picture in the works so there'll be more soon.

16 comments:

  1. I've yet to read a blog that has footnotes, or references. Some cite other internet sits, sometimes, rarely, publications.
    What we post on our blogs should never be taken as the last word, or anything other than opinion. Sometimes we are incorrect. I have no issue at all with you citing a source that turns out to be flawed. Dunno about you, but I force no one to read my stuff.
    Look how long it took for professionals to suss out what actually happened at the Gulf of Tonkin incident, years...they took Johnson's word for fact, and reported such.

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    1. I agree with you, Mike, that personal blogs don't need to list references, but I was annoyed with myself for posting a link to a site when I'd already discovered the author was of dubious repute. Yes, I remember the Gulf of Tonkin lie - that was one whose cost was far more dear than a bit of embarrassment. Dishonesty and dissembling seems to be par for the course for most modern politicians.

      Did you ever read General Smedley Butler's essay about war?

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  2. Yeah, my husband pointed that out to me, but still, we agree there are huge issues with all this overproduction and environmental damage.

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    1. Exactly, Marja-Leena. The story may have been flawed but its lesson is very real.

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  3. Hi Susan,
    It’s no big deal nor is it your fault, but I envisage that’s something you would prefer to know. Notwithstanding, the auto industry is prone to over production and subject to massive subsidies in many countries.
    What a great picture !!
    Best wishes

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    1. I was very happy you let me know, Lindsay. This is far from being a news blog but I do prefer a certain amount of accuracy. Yes, there's a lot of overproduction of just about anything we can think of and many things we can't. Cars are definitely among the most wasteful since they aren't even built to last.

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  4. there are lots of untruths on the internet. and sometimes no way of checking things.

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    1. It's a good thing to be a bit sceptical, isn't it?

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    2. once something its out on cyberspace it can be impossible to have it deleted.

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    3. That's so true, Claire. It's also the best reason to be cautious about what stories we believe as well as what we say ourselves.

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  5. Susan, don't worry about it. It was an interesting post and food for thought. Blogging is not our living - it is something to do to pass the time and because we have this weird need to write and be read. If you started a conversation so much the better.
    Blog on
    the Ol'Buzzard

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    1. Thanks, OB. I appreciate you saying so.
      The topic is still important.

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  6. I am wondering if you have been duped by that frog picture actually? :)

    As for the madness of reliance on perpetual growth, it remains madness and there are endless authenticated ways to back that up.

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    1. Nah, not duped, but happily satisfied to see a picture so tenderly photo-shopped.

      Perpetual growth is unsustainable in a closed system.

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    2. If only life could be "photoshopped" (by me though, not by others...)

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    3. I have a feeling you could be trusted to do so more than most.

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