My Dear British and European Fencers...

[GypsyScot]

Hey guys, (I hope we can be informal)

I was sitting here at my desk at work, reading over todays markets; and I began thinking "Wow the European currencies are trading incredibly high." And well for our large contingency of American fencers (and vendors) it makes European equipment very expensive. Take a look at my stock, if I don't make it it either comes from Italy, UK, France, or Germany, see what I'm getting at? Your economic upswing and our down swing is causing us (well me in particular) a great deal of hardship, your just doing too well. Since, we fencers are just one big family, I thought I could enlist your aid. Now if you look at the demographics of fencers the younger crowd is made mostly of students and young professional and the older is stereotypically, at least from my American perspective, the aristocracy. Now with that combined might you guys could and dare I say should, drive down those markets! Stop buying things, spend more of your money on imported American products, a lot of your militaries haven't done anything really awesome since WWII, join the War on Terror, is it going anywhere? No! Is it fun? Hell yeah, give your boys something to shoot at, there's plenty of desert animals about and remember a war economy is a healthy economy, unless its American. There are so many things you could do, have you ever considered counterfeiting money? Laser Printers are so cheap and the scanning technologies so advanced it's perfect, couldn't you use a few extra spending buck to saturate and devalue your currency?

Now don't think this is one-sided, I'll continue to pour my hard earned cash into your countries, so you'll have to work extra hard. I don't think it'd be fair to ask you to lower it to less than 1:1, so lets try to even it out.

Some of you may balk at my proposal, but consider this, when your markets crash in fifteen years because the economy can't support an over-valued market who'll be first in line to try and help you guys out? Me.

Thanks and I look forward to your help,
Rich "GypsyScot" Beischer

[Craig]

Can I get a Harrumph on this?

Craig

[Fencergrl]

LOL.... Our Canadian $ is at a record high against yours. Cross-border shopping is going crazy. So we're doing our bit to help our neighbours to the south.

Here's a plan. Pretend you are a Canadian company online and charge in Canadian. Use those Canadian funds to buy European goods. That will help your American $.

[sionnach]

A much better idea would be to just move to Europe. Things across the atlantic are so much nicer. Better quality of life, strong currency, free press, easier access to high level fencing tournaments, etc etc etc.

We're just so much better than you :P

[Beloit Fencer of Old]

Originally Posted by sionnach

A much better idea would be to just move to Europe. Things across the atlantic are so much nicer. Better quality of life, strong currency, free press, easier access to high level fencing tournaments, etc etc etc.

We're just so much better than you :P

Didn't you tell me that you're one of about seven epee fencers in all of Ireland?

[Fencergrl]

Originally Posted by sionnach

A much better idea would be to just move to Europe. Things across the atlantic are so much nicer. Better quality of life, strong currency, free press, easier access to high level fencing tournaments, etc etc etc.

We're just so much better than you :P

WOW! All that AND you have a 50% chance of making the National team! Thanks for pointing that out Beloit Fencer of Old.

[sionnach]

I said easier access, and yes, Ireland is closer to mainland europe than the USA :P

Epee situation isn't as bad now, we might have a double digit number of epeeists since a few college students from france and hungary are studying in ireland for the year ^_^

[KD5MDK]

Why don't you try selling gear in Europe? They'll pay Europeanuts, and you'll make Millions of USD.

[Inquartata]

Well, it'd have to be equipment manufactured here. How much of THAT is there?

That's what a falling dollar ought to do, though: Make our exports more attractive, and reduce our trade deficit.

[veeco]

Originally Posted by GypsyScot

There are so many things you could do, have you ever considered counterfeiting money? Laser Printers are so cheap and the scanning technologies so advanced it's perfect, couldn't you use a few extra spending buck to saturate and devalue your currency?

Hmm. the problem with those statements is that contrary to US money, European money is really hard to counterfeit...

On the other hand, moving to Europe (in particular France) might not be a good idea, right now, with all the strikes that are about to start.

[KD5MDK]

Originally Posted by Inquartata

Well, it'd have to be equipment manufactured here. How much of THAT is there?

That's what a falling dollar ought to do, though: Make our exports more attractive, and reduce our trade deficit.

Triplette. Some other stuff. Besides, I'll bet a lot of the gear manufactured in China is paid for in dollars, so it doesn't matter. In fact, as long as the yuan isn't appreciating against the Euro you'll come out at least even and if it stays even with the dollar you'll do great.

[Go? Fencing?]

Originally Posted by veeco

On the other hand, moving to Europe (in particular France) might not be a good idea, right now, with all the strikes that are about to start.

*sighs* Or maybe they could just end these stupid strikes! I'm kinda bitter about it cause the strike started the day after my parents got here for a week-long visit, and is still going on. There was a lot of stuff we couldn't do because we couldn't get to it, and we had to walk a lot more than is good for my mom, with her knee, foot, and balance problems.

Je deteste la greve.

[Durando]

Originally Posted by sionnach

I said easier access, and yes, Ireland is closer to mainland europe than the USA :P

Epee situation isn't as bad now, we might have a double digit number of epeeists since a few college students from france and hungary are studying in ireland for the year ^_^

And how is Deadly Eddie doing anyhow?

[Durando]

Originally Posted by Go? Fencing?

*sighs* Or maybe they could just end these stupid strikes! I'm kinda bitter about it cause the strike started the day after my parents got here for a week-long visit, and is still going on. There was a lot of stuff we couldn't do because we couldn't get to it, and we had to walk a lot more than is good for my mom, with her knee, foot, and balance problems.

Je deteste la greve.

Voilà, une autre advantage des provinces.

[sionnach]

Originally Posted by Durando

And how is Deadly Eddie doing anyhow?

Haven't seen him in a good while, he could be the dark horse at the Coupe du Nord épée satellite in Dublin next weekend (:

[Durando]

Originally Posted by sionnach

Haven't seen him in a good while, he could be the dark horse at the Coupe du Nord épée satellite in Dublin next weekend (:

Just so long as he hasn't been diverting air traffic over your house! PM me and tell me when you are coming to visit. (Would have been cool to see you at Alençon two weeks ago.)

[Go? Fencing?]

Originally Posted by Durando

Voilà, une autre advantage des provinces.

Mais je suis à Paris pour le semestre et je déteste habiter la ville. J'aime visiter Paris mais c'est autre chose d'y habiter.

[D'Art]

Originally Posted by Go? Fencing?

Mais je suis à Paris pour le semestre et je déteste habiter la ville. J'aime visiter Paris mais c'est autre chose d'y habiter.

Pourquoi?

[Go? Fencing?]

Originally Posted by D'Art

Pourquoi?

Je n'aime pas des villes... Quand j'ai visité Paris les deux fois dernières, je l'aimais beaucoup. Mais c'est différent d'étudier et de vivre ici.

Et il y a beaucoup d'autres choses aussi, bien sûr. Je ne comprends pas la système universitaire, je ne suis pas sûre même maintenant ce que je dois faire comme devoirs pour un de mes cours, je n'aime pas beaucoup ma famille d'acceuil, mon petit ami me manque beaucoup, et maintenant, la grève. Je ne suis pas contente ici.