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.

CHINESE IMPORT RELAXATION ETC
apparently the latest speech did not have much if anything new but probably lays the ground for defusing the threatened trade war, and just perhaps rather more in the longer term

who are likely to be the major beneficiaries?
seemingly, car manufacturers in the first instance
however, i think this will be the tip of the iceberg and base commodity producers will be in demand - eg KAZ (copper), GLEN (cobalt for batteries) and BLT (iron ore)

Theresa May has told President Trump that more evidence is needed before Britain will join a military strike against Syria

i thoroughly agree, and even then i am unconvinced that uk should hold hands with trump - even if parliament would allow

The Telegraph

Donald Trump warns Putin and Assad to expect 'nice and new and smart' missiles.

the man is a fucking lunatic .......

Trump says US poised to take military action against Syria
President Donald Trump on Wednesday warned Russia to prepare for a strike against Syria following the alleged chemical weapons attack in the country last week, ignoring warnings from Moscow that it would target any US military units involved.
Mr Trump’s threat in an early morning tweet came after Russia, the Syrian regime's closest ally, had warned the US any response would trigger “grave repercussions”. Alexander Zasypkin, Russia’s envoy to Lebanon, late on Tuesday reminded the US that the head of the Russian military has said his forces in Syria would not only shoot down any missiles that threatened them but would target the source of the weapons.
“Russia vows to shoot down any and all missiles fired at Syria. Get ready Russia, because they will be coming, nice and new and “smart!” You shouldn’t be partners with a Gas Killing Animal who kills his people and enjoys it!” Mr Trump tweeted, in an apparent reference to Syrian president Bashar al-Assad.

Since when did an envoy to the Lebanon speak for Russian policy? The man needs to be promoted to the DRC.
The problem is verification of these gassing cases. They undoubtedly took place but who set off the canisters, or shells, is more difficult to show. Hard to see how it benefited the Assad regime although reducing cities to ruins alike to Dresden doesn't appear to have bothered him too much.

as i have said before, both sides of this conflict are baddies and each is backed by an interfering major power ....... it may be that access to oil and similar influences these things - as if!

saddam used poison gas and perhaps worse on the kurds; germany tried out its military hardware etc during the spanish civil war; mussolini did likewise in ethiopia

What was the Gruinard Island used for?

What is Winterbourne Gunner used for?

Who shot JR?

that's pretty random ......

1) testing anthrax virus in 1942, but now decontaminated

2) a very old and pretty village in wiltshire, which also has a training centre for chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear events - eg attacks by the russians

Bacteria!

and your point is what, or is this just another of your random and rather silly posts?

Ignorance is bliss.

so assuredly one of your silly or even sillier posts

You are still showing your ignorance.

Ha,ha,ha, Fred does live an exciting life posting on here 7 days a week, and i never once seen a post [ maybe from Stan, except Stan voted for Brexit ] who agrees with him..

Manuel,

1) testing anthrax virus in 1942, but now decontaminated

Check your statement!

The island (gruinard) was dangerous for all mammals after experiments with the anthrax bacterium in 1942, until it was decontaminated in the late 20th century

enough said?

SYRIA
technically, i believe participation with the americans is a decision that can be taken at cabinet level
however, in this instance - and i don't know what unwanted precedent that might set - i fully concur that it is a decision that should be approved by parliament

in fact, i don't think we should (physically) back the americans at all in this particularly nasty conflict
if trump wants to be gung-ho, then let him flex his puny pects to boost his ego yet further, but why should uk lend a helping hand?
allow the use of cyprus (say) as some sort of launch base? ...... maybe, but certainly not direct involvement

Manuel,

You can't blame the viruses for everything.

-=-=-=

After further "bombing" in Syria will Trump withdraw to the USA leaving a bigger mess in the ME than it has at the moment?

Leaving behind an increasing pool of resentment?

The compost for further "terrorism".

??????