Millions back removal of dirty hippies with whom they are in complete agreement

[Webbo]

It depends who you're climbing over to get these things.

How is spending money on a big house/foreign holiday/nice restaurant climbing over anyone?

[Finnegan]

Well I see all these places around the world and wish I could visit them, not just for a week but a month or 6 weeks. I'd like to build my own house with a swimming pool in the garden. I'd like to try the sort of food Gordon Ramsey cooks and see what the fuss is about. Does that make me a bad person?

I'd say they're fairly humble desires relative to the scope of wealth I'm imagining here and I don't think you really need to be spectacularly wealthy to obtain them.

Food is Food? Come on.....you telling me you don't go to an expensive restaurant for special occasions sometimes?

Best food I ever ate cost a couple of quid from a dai pai dong in the middle of Kowloon.

[Guest MattP]

It depends who you're climbing over to get these things.

Excuse me?

[Finnegan]

Excuse me?

You gain money at someone else's expense, that's how capitalism works. If you're filthy rich, somebody else isn't.

[Guest MattP]

You gain money at someone else's expense, that's how capitalism works. If you're filthy rich, somebody else isn't.

Ideally you work harder than somebody else in order to achieve your goals.

[21st Century Fox]

How is spending money on a big house/foreign holiday/nice restaurant climbing over anyone?

Depends where the money came from.

Think how many businesses are willing to crush another to take a larger chunk, how many businessmen don't give a second thought to buying out a business and liquidating it, how many financiers gave a second thought to how many people they'd put out of jobs and homes.

Ideally you work harder than somebody else in order to achieve your goals.

Ideals rarely come into it.

[Webbo]

You gain money at someone else's expense, that's how capitalism works. If you're filthy rich, somebody else isn't.

Sorry that's crap. Selling somebody a good or service they can't do/make/grow themselves is not exploitation.

[Guest MattP]

Best food I ever ate cost a couple of quid from a dai pai dong in the middle of Kowloon.

They look pretty ghastly though don't they? I'm obsessed with hygiene so they were all a no-no for me, I can't even eat in a place these days without checking the food hygiene report beforehand.

[Finnegan]

Ideally you work harder than somebody else in order to achieve your goals.

"Ideally."

Ideally communism is a flawless social system.

They look pretty ghastly though don't they? I'm obsessed with hygiene so they were all a no-no for me, I can't even eat in a place these days without checking the food hygiene report beforehand.

I think that's largely just Western prejudices. Generally very healthy people, great food, cooked well, very fresh ingredients.

I found Hong Kong to be a very, very clean place. It has a reputation but I'm told by people who used to live there back in the eighties that since the Chinese took over the place has improved massively in terms of overall hygiene.

Admittedly some of the street vendors are a trifle suspect but most of the sit-in eateries, even the ones that cost about £3 a meal, are fantastic.

[Webbo]

Depends where the money came from.

Think how many businesses are willing to crush another to take a larger chunk, how many businessmen don't give a second thought to buying out a business and liquidating it, how many financiers gave a second thought to how many people they'd put out of jobs and homes.

Good businesses thrive ,bad businesses die or are bought out and made more efficient. If every piss poor business was kept in business artificially there would never be any progress.

[21st Century Fox]

Good businesses thrive ,bad businesses die or are bought out and made more efficient. If every piss poor business was kept in business artificially there would never be any progress.

And you end up with.... Tesco.

Has every company that Tesco put out of business to gain a bigger local share been 'piss-poor'. Or were they strangled by a larger company who are willing to climb over someone.

[Guest MattP]

"Ideally."

Ideally communism is a flawless social system.

I think that's largely just Western prejudices. Generally very healthy people, great food, cooked well, very fresh ingredients.

I found Hong Kong to be a very, very clean place. It has a reputation but I'm told by people who used to live there back in the eighties that since the Chinese took over the place has improved massively in terms of overall hygiene.

Admittedly some of the street vendors are a trifle suspect but most of the sit-in eateries, even the ones that cost about £3 a meal, are fantastic.

Fair enough. I've never actually been to Hong Kong, did Shanghai and Beijing end of 2010 and loved it even though it was really hard work with the language barrier, totally different to any other part of Asia. Certainly can't argue on the health side of it with the ingredients, don't think I saw an overweight person in three weeks out there.

Recommend Hong Kong?

[Saxondale]

You gain money at someone else's expense, that's how capitalism works. If you're filthy rich, somebody else isn't.

I think what you're talking about is jealousy.

[Webbo]

And you end up with.... Tesco.

Has every company that Tesco put out of business to gain a bigger local share been 'piss-poor'. Or were they strangled by a larger company who are willing to climb over someone.

Get rid of the big supermarkets and we'd all be paying twice as much for our groceries with much less choice.

[Finnegan]

Fair enough. I've never actually been to Hong Kong, did Shanghai and Beijing end of 2010 and loved it even though it was really hard work with the language barrier, totally different to any other part of Asia. Certainly can't argue on the health side of it with the ingredients, don't think I saw an overweight person in three weeks out there.

Recommend Hong Kong?

Oh yeah, massively. Wonderful place, would absolutely love to live there.

Think you'd have less problem with the language, as well. Keep in mind it's a former colony, still a heavy British influence. Everything's sign posted in English and documented in English, albeit a bit crudely in places. And they're hugely used to westerners from a business as well as a tourist point of view so everywhere's very accommodating.

I think what you're talking about is jealousy.

Yes.

The only thing wrong with these people is that they're jealous of Mark Parker.

Jesus Christ.

[21st Century Fox]

Get rid of the big supermarkets and we'd all be paying twice as much for our groceries with much less choice.

Or allow 3 big businesses to cartel everything and screw over everyone in their supply chain (farmers).

[Webbo]

Or allow 3 big businesses to cartel everything and screw over everyone in their supply chain (farmers).

Well there are still some grocers left, you do your shopping there. I can't afford your principles.

[dave the caveman]

Some of the justifications for the protests in this thread read like some bizarre and frightening combination of a spiritual self-help book and a Hitler speech. It’s a real shame none of the supporters can begin a list of what they perceive to be realistic and tangible changes which they would like to see enacted. That would surely make fascinating reading.

We want more financial equality!!

What have you done to deserve it?

Nothing.

Sounds reasonable. I’ll go write you a check.

Great! Gimme gimme gimme I want my moneyz!

OK. Here’s your £6k for this year.

Wut! £6k wut!? Dem bankers got dem millions i want dem millions gimme gimme gimme i want a benz too.

You said you wanted financial equality. Now everyone in the world has their individual share of global GDP. Why aren’t you happy?

Cuz, cuz omg i dun made a mistake. I was thinking I would get more not less omg wat av’ i done.... WAIT no, i Know, I don’t want a share of global GDP anymore k. All I want is for dem bankers not to get paid so much in my country take dem bonsez away and take it in tax yeah don’t let them celebs or footballers be paid so much.

OK, we’ll impose a limit on how much people can earn if you wish. But be warned that destroying one of the fundamental principles of free-market capitalism will have consequences.

OMg not again omg lyke wat?

Do you know what ‘incentive’ means?

um no wats dat?

Never mind. Do you know what ‘innovation’ means?

Oh yeah oh yeah steve jobs innit luk i got my ipad 3 queued up for four hours bought it with my pay day loan in debt now but fuk em i aint paying them back why should i give my money to some bankers haha

O...K, well let’s just say that Apple won’t be making any more ipads once you take away their incentive to innovate.

Omg wat did i do no wait i dun want that no stop! Ok ok, all i really want isto have some more money i don’t want bad things to happen i just want to be able to make moneys

Are you willing to work for it?

No ha of course not dats why im protestin innit aint no way im working for no business owner LOooOOOllllLL

Etc

Etc

etc

etc

[Guest MattP]

Oh yeah, massively. Wonderful place, would absolutely love to live there.

Think you'd have less problem with the language, as well. Keep in mind it's a former colony, still a heavy British influence. Everything's sign posted in English and documented in English, albeit a bit crudely in places. And they're hugely used to westerners from a business as well as a tourist point of view so everywhere's very accommodating.

Nice one, it seems to be the main difference between North and South China, in the South it's all Cantonese and they also seem to have a grasp of English, go to the North where the only thing spoken is Mandarin and nothing and nobody can speak a word of English, just ordering a beer was hard work.

Cracking story though on the first night, we got to the hotel (somehow) and decided to go out and get pissed, wrote the hotel name down to give to the taxi driver, stumbled out about 3am and hailed a passing cab, gave him the card, written English? No chance. Completely forgot he would need it in Hanzi, had to get out the cab and literally spent 90 minutes walking round in the freezing cold in the early hours trying to find someone who could translate English into Chinese. Eventually found an American in a karoake bar that drove us back.....Good times.

[Saxondale]

Yes.

The only thing wrong with these people is that they're jealous of Mark Parker.

Jesus Christ.

Hang on, if you're talking about cheap labour abroad, that's a completely separate thing altogether.

Where are the vast majority of the world's sweat shops? In China. Communist China.

Communism's fvcking great isn't it.

[21st Century Fox]

Some of the justifications for the protests in this thread read like some bizarre and frightening combination of a spiritual self-help book and a Hitler speech. It’s a real shame none of the supporters can begin a list of what they perceive to be realistic and tangible changes which they would like to see enacted. That would surely make fascinating reading.

We want more financial equality!!

What have you done to deserve it?

Nothing.

Sounds reasonable. I’ll go write you a check.

Great! Gimme gimme gimme I want my moneyz!

OK. Here’s your £6k for this year.

Wut! £6k wut!? Dem bankers got dem millions i want dem millions gimme gimme gimme i want a benz too.

You said you wanted financial equality. Now everyone in the world has their individual share of global GDP. Why aren’t you happy?

Cuz, cuz omg i dun made a mistake. I was thinking I would get more not less omg wat av’ i done.... WAIT no, i Know, I don’t want a share of global GDP anymore k. All I want is for dem bankers not to get paid so much in my country take dem bonsez away and take it in tax yeah don’t let them celebs or footballers be paid so much.

OK, we’ll impose a limit on how much people can earn if you wish. But be warned that destroying one of the fundamental principles of free-market capitalism will have consequences.

OMg not again omg lyke wat?

Do you know what ‘incentive’ means?

um no wats dat?

Never mind. Do you know what ‘innovation’ means?

Oh yeah oh yeah steve jobs innit luk i got my ipad 3 queued up for four hours bought it with my pay day loan in debt now but fuk em i aint paying them back why should i give my money to some bankers haha

O...K, well let’s just say that Apple won’t be making any more ipads once you take away their incentive to innovate.

Omg wat did i do no wait i dun want that no stop! Ok ok, all i really want isto have some more money i don’t want bad things to happen i just want to be able to make moneys

Are you willing to work for it?

No ha of course not dats why im protestin innit aint no way im working for no business owner LOooOOOllllLL

Etc

Etc

etc

etc

Cool insightful story as ever dave.

I'd tinker with it a bit before you send it to Sky for filming.

[Finnegan]

Well there are still some grocers left, you do your shopping there. I can't afford your principles.

Because of capitalism.

Nice one, it seems to be the main difference between North and South China, in the South it's all Cantonese and they also seem to have a grasp of English, go to the North where the only thing spoken is Mandarin and nothing and nobody can speak a word of English, just ordering a beer was hard work.

Cracking story though on the first night, we got to the hotel (somehow) and decided to go out and get pissed, wrote the hotel name down to give to the taxi driver, stumbled out about 3am and hailed a passing cab, gave him the card, written English? No chance. Completely forgot he would need it in Hanzi, had to get out the cab and literally spent 90 minutes walking round in the freezing cold in the early hours trying to find someone who could translate English into Chinese. Eventually found an American in a karoake bar that drove us back.....Good times.

I wouldn't want to do the North (or really anywhere off the beaten trail) without a local, to be perfectly honest.

Not for a lack of adventurous spirit or a fear of putting myself out there, I just don't want to be a tourist - anywhere. I know that's a fairly bold statement, I know I'm never going to go somewhere and be completely at one with the local populace, but I like to try my best.

We're going to Tokyo and Fukuoka later in the year with my best friend (who's from the latter and works in the former) from university. I absolutely can't wait, it should be fabulous. That was the only flaw with Hong Kong, really, we went with family (admittedly, my father's other half lived there in her teens) and whilst we explored and did a lot, you get the impression that you're missing out on the real heart of the city because - somewhere that size - you need to know your way around to find the real gems.

Fortunately we've got friends across most of the East Asian continent, so I'm not really short of a tour guide or three.

[Daggers]

Sorry that's crap. Selling somebody a good or service they can't do/make/grow themselves is not exploitation.

Precisely.

There's absolutely no way that supermarkets use their dominant position in the marketplace to drive down prices paid to farmers do that they and small local shops go out of business.

There's no way that banks and speculators would use their position in order to benefit from and accelerate the financial collapse of entire countries.

There's no way that the IMF would tie international loans to the compulsory use of companies like Haliburton and Bechtel in order to lock countries into a monopoly situation through need and lack of natural resources.

See, Finners - I agree with Webbo: you're talking absolute crap.

[Webbo]

Precisely.

There's absolutely no way that supermarkets use their dominant position in the marketplace to drive down prices paid to farmers do that they and small local shops go out of business.

There's no way that banks and speculators would use their position in order to benefit from and accelerate the financial collapse of entire countries.

There's no way that the IMF would tie international loans to the compulsory use of companies like Haliburton and Bechtel in order to lock countries into a monopoly situation through need and lack of natural resources.

See, Finners - I agree with Webbo: you're talking absolute crap.

Well ,grow your own food and don't use banks, that'll teach em.

[Daggers]

Some of the justifications for the protests in this thread read like some bizarre and frightening combination of a spiritual self-help book and a Hitler speech.

And your post, I've selectively quoted, makes you sound like a complete spastic.