Thought Id start this one going because its rather dead on this board at the moment and I suppose all my usual muckers are either at the Stella tennis event watching Dim Tim (lose again) or at Henly Regatta eating cucumber sandwiches (they wish,...NOT).

Anyway please feel free to just talk to yourself blast away and let it go on any company or subject you wish. Just wish Id thought of this one before.

cheers GF.

Exec,

I have favoured development of Nuclear Energy for close on 60years. It seems sensible power source alongside other "energy" sources and production.

I would be happy to have cancellation of Trident Submarines as they are outdated and the cash going into the nuclear power stations controlled fully by the "government" of this country and more conventional defence military weapons (include nuclear weapons of the present age).

I hope the nuclear waste we have is disposed of in the Witney area.

cadence ..... it has many subtleties all related to rhythm and similar - including when pedalling a bicycle!

"striking a chord" was sort of the meaning intended, but that wasn't right either

===========

did fred ever answer the question as to whether he had similar objections to Tata, an indian conglomerate, taking over the steel works in the first place, as he now does to the chinese participation in building this power station?

past record suggest not

With Fred it is more like banging a drum than striking a chord.... gives a headache.

Manuel,

I did and still have some questions about "outsourcing" UK large basic industries outside the UK.

It "felt" a bit like having one's water supply and controlled by an overseas country which is OK until the water stops flowing.

Or having a foreign legion forming your "Defence" force.

Get back to your kitchen and DYOH.
==-======

It,

I would suggest a quick and cheap decapitation would solve your headache problem.

Drop me a line and I will see what can be arranged for you.

Well done Dave.

I suppose he could sell the English Rugby team to them. Though I don't suppose he would get much for them.





What is Bejing like for a weekend break?

A message from George Soros


Dear Friends and Colleagues,

As many of you know George has been deeply engaged in promoting a more humane and effective response to the refugee crisis in Europe. He recently wrote an op-ed “Rebuilding the Asylum System” , which so far has been published in a dozen countries. To stay informed, George asked his staff to put together a periodic update on the most recent developments related to the crisis. The material is compiled from internal sources and news reports. I have copied the most recent edition below. If you would like to continue to receiving these updates, please send an email to my colleague Lara Ryan lara.ryan@soros.com.

Sincerely,

Michael Vachon

EUROPEAN CRISIS: Key Developments of the Past 48 Hours
October 21, 2015

POLITICS

EU calls emergency meeting on Balkans: Jean-Claude Juncker, president of the European Commission, has called an emergency meeting on Sunday in Brussels of EU and Balkan leaders as those fleeing the Middle East and Africa continue to arrive in the western Balkans. Juncker stated the need for greater cooperation among countries dealing with the migrant crisis. The heads of state of ten countries, including non-EU members Macedonia and Serbia, are invited.

Slovenia

The meeting was in part triggered by developments in Slovenia where 4,000 migrants and refugees, including many babies and young children, arrived Tuesday from Croatia in addition to about 8,000 who arrived Monday, forcing the country to deal with a surge of nearly 20,000 in a few days on its southern border.

Slovenia has called in the army to help it manage the situation. The parliament has approved new powers for Slovenian soldiers so that they can assist police in patrolling the border, detain people and hand them over to police, and issue orders to civilians in the border area. The government also intends on asking for financial support from the EU to deal with this latest upsurge. In Slovenia, migrants and refugees angry at how they are being treated set fire to tents at a transit camp in Brezice, complaining of a lack of food, water and blankets. (News report)

Germany

Merkel under pressure: German cabinet ministers warned on Tuesday that right-wing radicalism and xenophobia are on the rise in Germany after the anti-Islam PEGIDA movement held its biggest rally in months, spurred on by the arrival of thousands of migrants and refugees. SPD Justice Minister Heiko Maas referred to a radicalizing atmosphere he called "extraordinarily alarming."

A group of 188 MPs including many from Chancellor Merkel’s own Christian Democrat party have prepared laws to fence off sections of the border. They say they will pursue these plans if Merkel does not come up with a solution to the refugee crisis within weeks. “We must stop the flow of refugees. Considering a border fence should not be a taboo,” Christian von Stetten, the leader of the rebels and a member of Merkel's party, commented.

An INSA poll released on Monday showed support for Merkel's conservative bloc at a two and a half year low of 37 percent and the right-wing AfD at 7.5 percent, a seven-month high.

Cyprus

Four boats carrying 114 refugees from Syria landed at Britain’s military base in Cyprus. This represents a potential new frontline in the refugee crisis. The refugees (including 19 women and 28 children) were transferred to a temporary reception area in the sovereign base at Akrotiri on the southern coast of the Mediterranean island. A spokesperson for the UK Ministry of Defense stated that an agreement is in place with the Republic of Cyprus since 2003 “to ensure that the Cypriot authorities take responsibility in circumstances like this.”

European Public Opinion

Eurobarometer poll finds support for EU policies: Immigration and terrorism are some of the fasting growing concerns of Europeans, according to the latest Eurobarometer poll. Immigration is the greatest challenge facing the EU and its member states for 47 percent of respondents, up from 14 percent in 2013. Concerns about terrorism were cited by 26 percent of respondents, up from 11 percent in 2013. The survey, commissioned by the European Parliament, has sought the opinion of 28,150 Europeans aged over 15. It was conducted between September 19 and 29.

An average of 66 percent of respondents across the EU said that more decisions on migration should be taken at EU level, rather than by national governments alone.

EU citizens were more widely divided on the issue of receiving asylum-seekers. An EU average of 78 percent of respondents said they should be shared among EU countries. Of the 78 percent who favored distributing asylum-seekers among EU countries, 75 percent also favored doing so according to binding quotas decided by the EU, the survey showed. Germans led the group of those most in favor with at 97 percent; those least in favor were the Slovaks and the Czechs with 31 percent.

Gallup poll: A new Gallup poll shows 52 percent of Europeans would like immigration levels decreased, while 8 percent would like them increased.

Other findings:

• Adults who live in countries with the highest unemployment rates are the most negative toward immigration to their countries;

• Nearly half of adults in countries with unemployment rates higher than 15 percent believe immigration should decrease;

• Residents of high-income economies—generally advanced, developed countries —overall are much more likely to say immigrants take jobs citizens do not want (58 percent) than say they take jobs that citizens want (18 percent). In all other economies, residents are more likely to say immigrants take the jobs that citizens want;

• In all top ten migrant destination countries—which are also all high-income economies—many more respondents say that immigrants take jobs that residents do not want than say they take jobs that residents want;

• Those younger than age 44 are likely to have an opinion about immigration, and they are more likely to favor increasing immigration levels.

EPP Congress

According to a draft of an “Emergency Resolution” to be tabled at EPP’s congress in Madrid on Thursday, the party calls on the EU to return those who are not granted asylum; fight traffickers; oppose “ideologies that inspire jihadist terrorism;” make it harder for people to bring along their families, and insist that EU countries at the external borders fulfill their duties.

Arrivals in Greece cross 500,000, 27,500 on islands: UNHCR reports that 27,500 people remain in transit on Greek islands near Turkey. Many are fearful that routes in northern Europe will close. “We have reached another dramatic milestone, with the arrival yesterday (Monday) of 8,000 people, bringing the total to 502,500. Obviously we knew this was coming, but we do see a spike in arrivals in Greece,” a spokeswoman said. More than 643,000 refugees and migrants from the Middle East, Africa and Asia have crossed the Mediterranean to Europe this year and at least 3,135 have died en route.

EU asylum agency chief’s resignation: Robert Visser, the executive director of the European Asylum Support Office will unexpectedly leave his position at the end of October. Visser’s departure leaves a key EU agency without permanent leadership as Europe confronts its worst refugee crisis since World War II. EASO drafts instruction manuals and gathers statistical data from EU members on asylum questions, and sets up teams of experts from different countries to assist in countries dealing with a sudden high influx of asylum-seekers.

United States

A New York Times articles reports that since the Syrian conflict began four years ago, just 1,854 Syrian refugees have been admitted to the United States. The refugees, some of the most vulnerable people in the war, have been placed in 130 towns and cities. Most have been sent to affordable, medium-size cities rather than larger cities by the nine voluntary agencies that handle refugee resettlement.

CIVIL SOCIETY

Greece

Tensions in Lesvos: The inauguration of the hot-spot mechanism at the Moria facility in Lesvos coincided with a milestone in the refugee crisis: a half million arrivals of third country nationals in Greece during 2015. The hot spot is not fully functioning and this has led to tension between police and refugees, and also amongst refugees. A black market offering services to refugees is still thriving.

Police abuses in Greece: Reports of police abuse are on the rise. An official investigation has been launched based on NGO reports of about 15 to 20 incidents of alleged theft by police officers against people on the move in the wider region of Evros, at the land border between Greece and Turkey. In the meantime, worsening weather conditions are leading to a gradual rise in people using new routes via the Greek -Turkish and Bulgarian -Turkish land borders.

Solidarity Now opens a presence on the Greek-Macedonian border: In response to the onset of winter and the anticipated transformation of Idomeni as an exit-entry point, SolidarityNow (an Open Society initiative) has secured funding and is planning (pending approval) to establish a satellite Solidarity Center next to the UNHCR transit camp.

Populism on the rise across Europe: The clear win of the Swiss People’s Party in Federal elections is not the only populist victory in Europe. In Austria FPÖ, the party once lead by Jörg Haider, is leading the polls. In Sweden the Demokraterna (who are more radical than similar parties like the Norwegian Progress Party, the Danish People’s Party and the Finns Party) are also polling at over 20 percent. In Poland the Law and Justice party, which has been asking for a tough line on refugees, leads the polls for the elections on October 25.

Violent attacks on refugee housing in Sweden: Four refugee homes in Sweden have been attacked in recent days. After these fire attacks, the location of refugee homes is not being revealed in some instances so as to avoid future attacks.

Hungary seals the Croatian Border: According to the police data, 870 refugees arrived in Hungary on Saturday, 41 on Sunday and 22 on Monday. In keeping with the framework of the Visegrad Four cooperation 50 Slovak policemen arrived in Hungary to participate in border protection and assist their Hungarian colleagues. The Minister of the Interior personally welcomed them.

Croatia:

• A total of 210,000 refugees have entered Croatia since September 15, almost all of them leaving the country within 24 hours. Since the recent closure of the border with Hungary the refugees are being transported to Slovenia through the northwest crossing in the Međimurje region as well as the western crossing close to the towns of Bregana and Zaprešić. Austria and Slovenia have been limiting the number of refugees that are allowed to enter and Croatia is gradually following suit, a domino effect which is making things worse for refugees.

• During the last week rain and cold have created additional problems. During the night of October 20 as much as 4,400 people crossed into Croatia in seven hours and up to 3,000 spent most of the night by the roads in bad conditions as the numbers were too much for the police to handle. These events have lead the initiative Welcome to publicly call for speeding up the process of restructuring a former industrial complex for incoming refugees near the town of Slavonski Brod. The capacity will be around 5,000 people and the government has pledged to complete this in ten days.

• Efforts at cross-border cooperation among activists are increasing. On Wednesday October 21 a public discussion was held in Zagreb entitled One month of humanitarian crisis where the initiative Welcome invited activists from Serbia and Slovenia. A Slovenian Croatian activist exchange (supported by the Open Society Initiative for Europe) will take place from October 22 to 25 in Pula and one of the main themes will be the refugee crisis. Hungarian activists will also participate.

• Activists are exploring ways to improve joint cross-border actions against repressive policies towards refugees and migrants. The initiative Welcome has received support from the Open Society Initiative for Europe for their planned public communications campaign and advocacy activities. The initiative has recently upgraded its web site with a series of new tools for activists and refugees. The refugee issue is dominating the pre-election campaign in Croatia; regular parliamentary elections will take place on Sunday, November 8.

Exec,

You seem to have a touchy finger.


-=-=-=-=-=


Exec,

You seem to have a touchy finger.

-=-=-=-=-=

"An average of 66 percent of respondents across the EU said that more decisions on migration should be taken at EU level, rather than by national governments alone."


It would seem to me to be a UN responsibility as much as the EU.

Also, a larger responsibility for the present problem is down to the USA and UK's unwanted interferences in Iraq and the M.E..

oh do shut up fred with your monotonous sniping!

==========

my younger son has just come back from a few days in lesbos and found it a very moving experience
as he rightly pointed out, when meeting with real humans on the ground, you cannot and do not want to differentiate between those who are legit political refugees and the economic migrants ....... all are equally dispirited and worse

Hmmm? Thanks for telling me.

Thought I'd caught the dreaded Fred Virus for the moment but all is well now.

You know you did ought to tell yourself a few times a day.

Sod it then ,lets take them all in cynic .

It,

I would suggest a quick and cheap decapitation would solve your headache problem.

Drop me a line and I will see what can be arranged for you.

.. It's a cracker as the late great Irishman would have said -):

Have you stopped taking your clozapine?

Manuel.

when I first read ;

"Real name: cynic
Location: west of heathrow
Biography
an opinionated pain who neverthless refuses to take himself too seriously and rarely gets upset by acid retort from those whose feathers he has ruffled."


I thought you were developing some insight and there was hope for you.

I am sorry, but if so, you seem very slow at doing so.


Keep on "trying".

You are good at it!

It,

Never tried it.

How does feel when you stopped taking it.

jimmy - for all sorts of pretty obvious reasons, which fred would never admit to understanding let alone accepting, an open-door policy is a recipe for disaster

i know that almost sweeps the very real problem under the carpet, but i do not pretend to know the answer

I don't read any of Fred's posts he's not open minded enough for me . I might not like Labour but i can also say that Cameron has got several things wrong as well ..

Just learnt, the new Neo-cons' policy, is that in order to balance up the problem in the immigration problem, we can advertise in Bejing for a couple of millions "holiday" makers to migrate to the Thames Valley for holidays.

And as long as their pockets are full, or they have bought up London, we won't send them home.

Happy days are here again.

JB.

I am trying to bring a little balance to this thread!


8-)

Ps, after leaving my teens I have frequently moved to the left of the neo-cons.

i'll second that jimmy

i'ld like to understand better the arguments for and against the tax credit cuts, or how they might sensibly be softened so that the thrust and logic of the cuts (with which i agree) is not lost, but (perhaps) so that fewer lose out undeservedly



with regards to nhs and junior doctors, i have heard several conflicting arguments from a number of consultants and similar ...... however, all agree that the amount of paperwork now required is preposterous and also that there are far too many o'paid administrators who do little other than protect their empires

this morning i had an interesting chat regarding (as it happens) having a chloresterol test, merely as a self-check rather than because a doctor has told me that i should have one
with huge difficulty and much argument, i managed to get one done at my local surgery ...... the only alternative would have been to go to a private clinic that would have charged £100 or more
i would have been more than happy to have paid my surgery £5/10 or whatever which would have helped their cashflow and profitability and also added to my medical history without the need to waste a doctor's appt
our surgery already asks patients (over a certain age?) to carry out blood pressure tests on a gadget in the reception area, and that is certainly a step in the right direction, though far from commonplace i believe

Manuel,


"however, all agree that the amount of paperwork now required is preposterous and also that there are far too many o'paid administrators who do little other than protect their empires"


Do you mean the administrators are treading on the hallowed ground which the medics thought was theirs?
-=-=-=-=

If you had the ability to do the "cholesterol" test, could you interpret the results? If so would you instruct the chemist to prescribe what you think appropriate and rely on your own management?

If not, if necessary, how would you administer other related conditions and provide those services.

Also, in your condition who would you have to repeatedly explain what was happening to you.


Also, how much would the simple "blood sampling machine cost" against the size of practice.



==-==-=-=-=

I was surprised how much the machinery (Xrays machines etc.) and other equipment cost a smallish well equipped dental practice. (About £1.5+ million) Also, on top was staff and premises costs.

Made me think a little.