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.

turkey is not safe any one with a brain would not go its now a war zone
remember Tunisia well turkey is in more danger to tourists
and with todays action says they support Islamic terrorists

probably a lot safer than your local kebab van!

would never buy the shit

my self and many friends have boycotted Thomas cook merkel as killed them

the usa telling uk to avoid muslim countries

Britain is not safe !!!

This is the combination we need right now ......

From the BBC

The Turkish military have reportedly shot down a Russian military aircraft on the border with Syria.

Russia's defence ministry said an Su-24 had crashed on Syrian territory after being hit by fire from the ground, and that its pilots had managed to eject.
But Turkish military officials said Turkish F-16s had shot down the plane after repeatedly warning its pilots they were violating Turkish airspace.
Video footage showed the plane crashing into mountains in Latakia province.

Russia launched an air campaign to bolster Syrian President Bashar al-Assad's government in late September.
Pilot 'captured'
The Russian defence ministry confirmed on Tuesday morning that a Russian Su-24 had "crashed on Syrian territory, having been hit from the ground" while it was flying at an altitude of 6,000m (19,685ft).
"Efforts are being made to ascertain what happened to the pilots. According to preliminary reports, the pilots have managed to self-eject," the ministry was quoted as saying by the Interfax news agency.

A feared incident
This is exactly the kind of incident that many have feared since Russia launched its air operations in Syria. The dangers of operating near to the Turkish border have been all too apparent. Turkish planes have already shot down at least one Syrian air force jet and possibly a helicopter as well.
Russia insists that its warplane did not violate Turkish air space. So, was the Russian pilot's navigation wrong? Questions will also be asked about the readiness of the Turks to open fire.

It suggests that the much discussed arrangements to avoid incidents between warplanes over Syria are inadequate. The Turkish authorities will no doubt claim that such arrangements do not cover the approaches to their own airspace where tried and tested procedures should apply.
There are conflicting reports as to whether it was ground fire or Turkish jets that brought down the Russian plane. Air operations in the crowded skies over Syria just got a good deal more complicated. The only mitigating factor is that initial reports suggest that two parachutes were seen so the Russian crew at least got out of their stricken aircraft. Expect diplomatic fireworks.

The ministry stressed that "throughout its flight, the aircraft remained exclusively above Syrian territory", adding: "Objective monitoring data shows it."
However, Turkish military officials said its F-16s had fired on an unidentified aircraft after warning it 10 times in the space of five minutes about violating Turkish airspace.The Turkish military have reportedly shot down a Russian military aircraft on the border with Syria.

Russia's defence ministry said an Su-24 had crashed on Syrian territory after being hit by fire from the ground, and that its pilots had managed to eject.
But Turkish military officials said Turkish F-16s had shot down the plane after repeatedly warning its pilots they were violating Turkish airspace.
Video footage showed the plane crashing into mountains in Latakia province.
Follow the latest updates here
Russia launched an air campaign to bolster Syrian President Bashar al-Assad's government in late September.

This is exactly the kind of incident that many have feared since Russia launched its air operations in Syria. The dangers of operating near to the Turkish border have been all too apparent. Turkish planes have already shot down at least one Syrian air force jet and possibly a helicopter as well.
Russia insists that its warplane did not violate Turkish air space. So, was the Russian pilot's navigation wrong? Questions will also be asked about the readiness of the Turks to open fire.
It suggests that the much discussed arrangements to avoid incidents between warplanes over Syria are inadequate. The Turkish authorities will no doubt claim that such arrangements do not cover the approaches to their own airspace where tried and tested procedures should apply.
There are conflicting reports as to whether it was ground fire or Turkish jets that brought down the Russian plane. Air operations in the crowded skies over Syria just got a good deal more complicated. The only mitigating factor is that initial reports suggest that two parachutes were seen so the Russian crew at least got out of their stricken aircraft. Expect diplomatic fireworks.
The ministry stressed that "throughout its flight, the aircraft remained exclusively above Syrian territory", adding: "Objective monitoring data shows it."
However, Turkish military officials said its F-16s had fired on an unidentified aircraft after warning it 10 times in the space of five minutes about violating Turkish airspace..... more

stan I am going to texas next may for 4 weeks really looking forward to that
been before but only for a few days great place to go to laid back and friendly folk

you're more than welcome to it
i think it's the pits and am delighted that my co-director has taken over the chore of visiting our office there

mind you, you should certainly feel at home as they're gun-happy

btw, by may, the weather is likely to have turned very hot and humid as well

Reports are that one pilot dead and the other held as possible hostage by rebels.

Dont mess with Texas! I lived there for several years. Just north of Dallas but managed to get around most of the state. Loved it. Beautiful houses at reasonable prices and not nearly as much crime as the papers make you believe. The police were well funded and didnt mess about. Bit hot at times but you move from air conditioned house to air conditioned car to air conditioned office. Great temps at night. Big sky country. My wife didnt want to leave but I wanted our youngest to go to a school in the UK when he entered secondary.
If I was young again I wouldnt hesitate going to the US.

Tanker, despite your dislike for Thomas Cook, you gave a great tip to buy it when it was around 17p.

Corbyn due to get bloody nose today. SNP are forcing a vote on Trident. Corbyn has told his MPs to stay away. Quite a few are expected to defy him including some of his Cabinet.

The photo that sums up Jeremy Corbyn's relationship with Labour MPs

i confess that if i was obliged to live in usa, i'ld opt for the likes of SF or perhaps parts of the eastern seaboard ...... i also believe chicago has much going for it

Is it out of date.

Good old Cameron:

Brings back memories.

For Haze:

San Diego is a nice place. But so is Maine, NH. Friendly folk all over. I made and I have kept very good friends. The son of one is flying out of Lakenheath at present. My next door neighbour in Texas.

I await the budget with interest:

http://www.theguardian.com/business/2015/nov/23/budget-deficit-could-hit-40bn-pounds-autumn-statement-george-osborne

UK budget deficit could be £40bn in 2020, academics warn
Ahead of chancellor’s autumn statement, City University report says Treasury has underestimated impact of welfare and department cuts
UK Treasury building in London
Richard Murphy said: ‘The very low multiplier the Treasury uses assumes that cuts in government spending will stimulate growth.’ Photograph: Oli Scarff/Getty Images
Phillip Inman Economics correspondent

George Osborne could be forced to borrow billions of pounds more than forecast by 2020 if he sticks with spending cuts that will hit economic growth, according to a report by City University.

With only days to go before the chancellor’s autumn statement, the report says the Treasury has underestimated the impact of welfare and departmental spending cuts on the broader economy and especially cuts to public sector investment.

Without a boost to public infrastructure, private sector businesses will limit their own investment plans, leading to lower productivity and depressed GDP growth over the next four years.

By 2020, the government will be forced to report a £40bn deficit instead of the planned £10bn surplus, the report concludes, undermining Osborne’s fiscal charter, which dictates that governments borrow only in times of distress.

Relentless cuts won’t help Britain’s long-term economic prospects
Letters: The policy of relentless cuts to public services is a suicide belt for British society and its economy, inflicted by its own, homegrown ideologist
Read more
The study by two academics from City University comes only days before the chancellor is expected to tell parliament that he plans to achieve a budget surplus by 2020 from a mixture of cuts to departmental spending and welfare and from higher tax receipts, especially income tax and national insurance.

But he is already off track in 2015-16 after a run of poor figures for the public finances. Last week, the Office for National Statistics reported that higher government spending and lower corporation tax receipts than expected in October had sent borrowing to its highest for that month since 2009.

whatever the budget sets out, the lefties won't like it
however, i shall be more interested to read a balanced view if such a thing will be possible

for myself, i'ld certainly like to see some softening of some aspects of the tax credit cuts, or at least the timing and method of their application