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.

Tanker

Interest rates, are one of the main tools that central banks have to control the economy. World economies are currently struggling to recover from the current recession, and massive national debts.
In a period of extremely low inflation there is no reason to raise interest rates.
Our current brand of Lberal capitalism is likely transforming to accommodate a period of world wide stagnation, or at least a period of very low growth. We will not recognise the new economic reality until it is well established.
But it will still be some form of capitalism.

Another reason is modernization of factories which resulted in higher production and less workers. Higher production at lower costs resulted in higher competition.

Also, many countries have been destroyed by war over the last ten years, from Libya to Iraq, Syria, Ukraine, and Yemen and now Turkey and Egypt are in trouble. So, they are out of the market as consuming countries.... The quality of life in those countries is very low... So the problems here and there.....

The low rate has to stay for sometimes.

will10
That is one of the most serious weaknesses of the EU. The ECB sets interest rates for the whole of Europe. Individual countries cannot set their own interest rates. The necessity for central control comes from the Euro. Ordinarily Greece would have altered interest rates and devalued their currency and traded their way out of problems via the tourist trade and fruit/veg exports. Central control of interest only really works if budgets and tax rates are all the same. You can expect that next.

Hays
Could not agree more.
It's either all fully in to the euro, including full fiscal tie.
Or individual floating currencies tied to a stable central core, similar to UK's current status with euro.
Greece can't get out of it's problem unless EU central bankers take massive hit.
Of course Trump has a solution.
For USA debt, just force a default and make those that lent you money take a hit. It worked for him as a crappy developer.

The UK holds in excess of 200 billion of US debt so if he goes for it we are hit badly.

The only answer for us is to LEAVE before we get sucked into it all.

The gunman in Florida had visited the club lots of times over previous months, sometimes with another gay man. He has also used quite a few gay dating apps.

Hays, when you referred to the hole of Europe, did you mean Greece? I can think of worse places... Naples for example.

or perhaps the whole of europe is a hole - with which i don't agree - as opposed to the whole of europe is in a hole (which is getting ever deeper) - with which i do agree

Personally, I like Naples very much. I have friends there. There is a road that runs along the coast in the city. It is almost impossible to cross as the traffic ignores the traffic lights and pedestrian crossings. There is a local joke that a man one side of the multi lane road shouts at a man on the other side and asks how he got across. He replies that he was born there.

Perhaps a "father-son relationship/religious conviction" problem?

Hmmm? That was even complicated to type up.

And another 'Hmmm?'....

Preloved:

About 1 week ago I agreed to buy the item and have so far sent 3 messages to the Seller

Ebay:

I won the bid and have messaged the Seller accordingly. That was 3 days ago.

Thus far I haven't heard a peep from either Seller. Obviously, I have checked account settings, etc, etc, e-mail spam, and all are quite OK. My messages to both sellers even give my mobile phone number. Where possible I always 'copy myself in' on messages too so as to check they do come through.

Holiday? Sickness? Broken computers? Memory loss? Lack of urgency? Rudeness?

What is it with some people, that makes them not behave in a timely manner?

Ah well. Just have to be patient, I suppose - but I will message each seller through the appropriate web site facility once again.

aka a scam ...... was payment insisted as being by Paypal? ....... if so, very likely you've been stuffed with no recourse

You will get the money back via Ebay. They are quite good like that. I have had to wait up to three weeks in the past. Holidays are a factor as are reasons like working and not being able to get to a post office if it is a parcel.

never buy second goods cast offs not for me only buy new

how many times have you been married?
and your wife?

married for 48 years thanks she still looks 40 never uses make up she does not need it

must have been a child bride

she was 17 I was 20

Tanker,

I once knew a guy who had similar attitudes to that and was quite proud of having them too.

ie. Never ate 'left overs', never bought second hand goods, lived in a brand new house which was full of brand new stuff. It was totally characterless.

He was a car dealer. So much for never buying second-hand goods, eh? He made a living out of it. We regarded him as being intransigent and insular. Anyhow, he's dead now so what does it matter? He died of 'mostly' only drinking new alcohol. :-)

But for you? Your personal rule 'never buy second goods cast offs not for me only buy new' is, well, insular. It shows a lack of wider thought and is indicative of a poor education.

Even the Queen wears used second hand jewelry. I guess the value of some of it must run into the £ms. People are happy to borrow it from her too.

Buy a brand new car and it immediately depreciates because of the massive amount of VAT and car tax.

Buy a mint condition classic car and it will usually appreciate because of its rareity and perhaps its provenance too. It's the same sort of thing with lots of rare items.

My 'Preloved' web site item has now disappeared from the listings. Looks as though it's been taken down and has maybe been sold elsewhere.

The Ebay item was 'Collection Only'. I haven't yet paid for it - but I do want to arrange things and collect it and pay for it.

I have a new car ever 18/24 months and have for over 25 years then give them away all of them just given away my car on 26th may now have a new one in 3 weeks have done 27 miles can not drink and drive but it keeps the garage warm