Comments for Alex Goodall's Blog http://alexgoodall.com/blog Stuff I find interesting, incomprehensible, infuriating, inspiring, ingenious, inane, ineffable, inelastic, in excelsis and interminable Wed, 08 Feb 2012 18:47:08 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 Comment on The first post of a new blog by Jerry http://alexgoodall.com/blog/2011/12/the-first-post-of-a-new-blog/#comment-31 Jerry Wed, 08 Feb 2012 18:47:08 +0000 http://www.alexgoodallinternetmarketing.com/alexgoodall/blog/?p=7#comment-31 Alex, Now you just need the time to think about all the grumbles and further time to elucidate them. Happy times!! Jerry Alex,

Now you just need the time to think about all the grumbles and further time to elucidate them. Happy times!!

Jerry

]]> Comment on Running the UK is a sideline by Alex Goodall http://alexgoodall.com/blog/2012/01/running-the-uk-is-a-sideline/#comment-15 Alex Goodall Sun, 22 Jan 2012 12:04:45 +0000 http://alexgoodall.com/blog/?p=23#comment-15 Nigel didn't do the calculations for any other economies, and I don't know if anyone else has. In fact, on thinking about it more, I am beginning to question the relevance of using the corporate approach. Why did accounting practices evolve to value future liabilities of companies in the way they did? Presumably because of the existence of shareholders, the fact that a company can be sold, and the fact that a company can be wound down. So it makes sense to have a way of putting a value on a company in the context of shareholder value and selling/winding down. But countries don't have such a context, so perhaps the asset-based calculation is meanlingless, and it DOES make more sense to use the cash-flow based model. But still - 54% of GDP is not a happy proportion! Nigel didn’t do the calculations for any other economies, and I don’t know if anyone else has.

In fact, on thinking about it more, I am beginning to question the relevance of using the corporate approach. Why did accounting practices evolve to value future liabilities of companies in the way they did? Presumably because of the existence of shareholders, the fact that a company can be sold, and the fact that a company can be wound down.

So it makes sense to have a way of putting a value on a company in the context of shareholder value and selling/winding down.

But countries don’t have such a context, so perhaps the asset-based calculation is meanlingless, and it DOES make more sense to use the cash-flow based model.

But still – 54% of GDP is not a happy proportion!

]]> Comment on Running the UK is a sideline by Graham Wilson http://alexgoodall.com/blog/2012/01/running-the-uk-is-a-sideline/#comment-14 Graham Wilson Sun, 22 Jan 2012 11:23:23 +0000 http://alexgoodall.com/blog/?p=23#comment-14 Interesting points, Alex. It would be interesting to see some comparison tables with those kinds of figures. Where, for example, do 'emerging' economies fit? What about the former Soviet block which (I guess) didn't inherit a massive pension deficit... And perhaps some per capita comparisons with places like Germany. What DID happen to E German pensions post-reunification? Cheers Graham Interesting points, Alex. It would be interesting to see some comparison tables with those kinds of figures. Where, for example, do ‘emerging’ economies fit? What about the former Soviet block which (I guess) didn’t inherit a massive pension deficit… And perhaps some per capita comparisons with places like Germany. What DID happen to E German pensions post-reunification?

Cheers
Graham

]]> Comment on The first post of a new blog by Alex Goodall http://alexgoodall.com/blog/2011/12/the-first-post-of-a-new-blog/#comment-3 Alex Goodall Sun, 01 Jan 2012 11:38:05 +0000 http://www.alexgoodallinternetmarketing.com/alexgoodall/blog/?p=7#comment-3 Thanks, Graham. The separation issue is correct, but as for focus, I suspect not! I now have a place to burble on about all sorts of un-focussed, non-business things. But it'll be fun anyway! Thanks, Graham.

The separation issue is correct, but as for focus, I suspect not! I now have a place to burble on about all sorts of un-focussed, non-business things. But it’ll be fun anyway!

]]> Comment on The first post of a new blog by Graham Wilson http://alexgoodall.com/blog/2011/12/the-first-post-of-a-new-blog/#comment-2 Graham Wilson Sun, 01 Jan 2012 08:36:42 +0000 http://www.alexgoodallinternetmarketing.com/alexgoodall/blog/?p=7#comment-2 Separating out the business from the personal (and from the family too) seems to have been a theme with quite a few people I've spoken to over the last few days. They have said that their personal space has been overwhelmed by their family's needs and by the constant opportunity to do 'stuff' for their business. One person put it all down to respect. We all need to show respect for the other people we engage with. It's too easy in this world of auto-everything for the tap to be turned on and no-one think about turning it off. Good luck with the blog, Alex - I hope the separation helps you focus! Graham Separating out the business from the personal (and from the family too) seems to have been a theme with quite a few people I’ve spoken to over the last few days. They have said that their personal space has been overwhelmed by their family’s needs and by the constant opportunity to do ‘stuff’ for their business. One person put it all down to respect. We all need to show respect for the other people we engage with. It’s too easy in this world of auto-everything for the tap to be turned on and no-one think about turning it off.

Good luck with the blog, Alex – I hope the separation helps you focus!
Graham

]]>