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.

Debt Ceiling Won't Put Lid On Economic Woes


(c) Sky News 2011, 20:22, Tuesday 2 August 2011

The US has agreed to raise its debt ceiling - but this does not mean the panic is over and the markets seem less than impressed.

Despite opposition on both sides of the political divide, the agreement to raise the US debt ceiling by 2trn has gone through, meaning the US can pay its bills.

Far from a massive market rally, we've seen losses on shares around the globe - adding to the sharp declines of last week.

The moves, they say, don't go far enough and have taken too long to agree.

The spending cuts agreed are simply not enough to guarantee US fiscal health.

They fall way short of the sort of fundamental reforms to the tax and spending systems economists say are vital in America.

And if political discord has led to a "fudge" this time, getting those large-scale reforms through in the future will be even harder.

And it's not just the markets: those who determine the US's credit-worthiness could decide in the next few months that the plans aren't credible enough, leading to the possible loss of the country's coveted triple-A rating.

That could make it harder and more expensive for the world's largest economy to borrow and finance its deficit.

But what really threw the markets on Monday was a monthly survey on manufacturing.

It pointed to stagnation in US industry which, following on from last week's poor GDP figures, threw up fresh fears about growth.

This, say the experts, isn't just a soft patch, it's the start of a sustained slowdown - the kind of thing that makes it hard for an economy to withstand big spending cuts and, in fact, risks making the deficit even bigger.

The man called "Dr Doom" for correctly predicting the last recession, Nouriel Roubini, warns there's a 30% chance of the US going into a double-dip recession.

That's bad news for the whole globe, and recovery across the board. Could things get that bad?

For once, the UK is ahead of the US when it comes to the economy.

With austerity plans already in place for a year, is the UK experience a cautionary tale or an exemplary lesson for the US?

Certainly the retention of the UK's credit rating and relatively low bond yield (the cost of government borrowing) suggests attempts to get an early grip on public finances worked.

But on the other hand, the sharp slowing in growth prospects for the UK suggests austerity has gone too far too fast.

GDP looks set to struggle to expand by 1.5% this year.

It's quite something when the IMF (Berlin: MXG1.BE - news) - the body who likes governments to keep their financial houses in order above all else - is warning that the UK has to be flexible about its fiscal plans and stand ready to help the economic growth stay on its feet, an emphatic sign of the risks we face.

Struggling to cope with debt and deficit crises against a backdrop of faltering recovery is now a common theme across much of the developed world.

It's a mess, caused by living way beyond our means, that was several years in the making - which means it may take several years of painful choices, tricky navigating and flexibility to solve.

The deal on the debt ceiling may have been months in the making but it's not the answer.

I didn't say eggs were meat. I said they were animal. They are not an animal byproduct. They are cells of the animal in the same way that cod's roe is fish.

It is convenient for non meat eaters to regard eggs as an animal byproduct or 'dairy' but it doesn't make it so. It is just a cop out so they can eat eggs.

I eat eggs, meat, dairy etc and it is of no significance how many animals are killed for food. I am not even sure it matters how they are treated either. It is not clear on what basis and for what reasons that it would matter.

I always respect people who have decided to be vegetarian or vegan on moral or health grounds - or both. It's just not for me.

Homo Sapiens has evolved as an omnivore, but it is likely that modern man tends to eat more meat than is sensible or wise.

Having said that, I've just eaten a Waitrose Aberdeen Angus hamburger, made with red wine, caramelised onion and herbs. In a wholemeal roll. Delicious!

" I eat eggs, meat, dairy etc and it is of no significance how many animals are killed for food. I am not even sure it matters how they are treated either. It is not clear on what basis and for what reasons that it would matter."

Moral reason's ? Haystack's, you seem to have the some mindset toward's animal's as the Nazis party had toward's Jew's. Anything that you think is beneath you should be exploited and ill-treated .

MM

I hope it was organic

I am not recomending ill treating animals. I am not sure there is a moral question involved though. I wouldn't ill treat an animal, but the morality associated with it is questionable. If you think morality is involved then why is that? If you dispense with religion and religious teaching then what is the source of the morality that you are applying. Certainly ill treating animals is probaby not sensible as regards the efficiencies of farming and it makes some sense not to upset those in society who do think it is immoral, but where does that moral opinion come from?

I don't regard animals as beneath me, but different in the way that a carrot is different or a brick. Do you mind squishing flies? There is no essential difference between a fly and a baby seal. We just think one is cute, but there are times when they both need squishing.

Aldwickk, you did actually say you were 'more vegan than vegetarian', allthough being 'vegetation' sounds like the most interesting option of all!

" There is no essential difference between a fly and a baby seal. " There is a difference between animal's and insect's and that is a nervous system , does a fly feel pain or stress like a cat or a dog ?

What does it say in the Bible about man has dominion over all creatures , but with most thing's in the Bible you can always pick and choose and twist it to suit your own agenda

The bible has nothing to do with it. That's just a manual for believers in extra terestial beings, fairies and such like.

Aids,

How often do you ask a fly when you are squishing it, whether it is feeling any stress or pain?

==================

I know that there is a new systematisation in "Biology" but your definitions don't fit in to the "new or old " categories.

However, as ever, you are entitled to your own system.

But I know I am impure animal with a "Bacterial core"!

80)

We all know what you are Fred

.

Can I have a drink first. Please, please and I promise not to spill any, and, and, and promise to be good tomorrow.







Or the recognition of failure:-

I haven't done my homework yet.

(Never used that one.)

.

Sky News 3 hours ago....tweet22EmailPrint......Related Content.
..
Enlarge Photo.Paul Daniels Treated After Sooty Pizza Attack
....Veteran TV magician Paul Daniels has admitted needing medical treatment after being hit in the face with a pizza thrown by Sooty, the puppet.

The 73-year-old was filming a scene for the new series of ITV's The Sooty Show when the wayward snack struck him harder than expected on the head.

The incident was witnessed by a shocked Sweep.

But Daniels attempted to play down reports of the incident when he spoke to Sky News.

He said he had driven himself to a "village hospital" after his eye began to sting but was given the all clear after receiving an eye drop.


"It was over a month ago," he said. "I wasn't hospitalised by Sooty, there was a slapstick scene, I got pizza in my eye.

"It stung so on the way home that evening I called into a local wonderful village hospital.

"A nurse said, 'Oh no that's all right'...

"That was it it was all over, she put a little drop in my eye, it did sting for about a minute, and then gone."

Co-star Richard Cadell, who had been operating Sooty the puppet, was devastated after throwing the pizza much softer in the first take.

He told Sky News: "Paul turned round and said 'Come on Sooty, give it some welly!', so I did. The second throw hit him hard.


"Debbie (McGee, Paul's wife and assistant) laughed when it hit him but soon realised he'd been hurt.

"Paul was a childhood hero of mine so you can imagine how I felt."

Daniels - who is performing at his year's Edinburgh Fringe Festival - later denied asking for the pizza to be thrown harder when speaking to Sky News.

He also denied appearing dazed, saying this was his "normal walking state".

The offending scene can be viewed when The Sooty Show returns to ITV in September.
...

I see Cameron and the fox have kept their promises over Military funding and upgrading of weaponry.

They have told new recruits to bring their own i-pods, pea shooters, jeans and T-shirts.

What L Bs.

Can't even call this a U-turn.



Sorry NM.

.

PS,

Sorry forgot.

Some have been asked to bring their own bath ducks to replace the aircraft carriers.

Doubt that there will be any board jobs going for them on Arms Manufacturers, when they are out of office.

========

Why in an economic crisis are the overpaid MPs and rest of Government in "recess", while at the same time others should be accepting cut backs and efficiency plans.


On second thoughts, perhaps, it is better if the recess is extended



What a coalition of ?!!!!!

Patience is a virtue possess it if you can, seldom in a women, never in a man.

or to put it another way.

Be fearful when people are greedy. Be greedy when people are fearful.

Good old Warren.

The Bible is the authority that we have been given by God for moral decisions. The Bilbe encourages the eating of animals, therefore there is nothing wrong with eating animals.

The quality of food produced by the farming industries in various parts of the world is, of course, another matter. Not to mention what the food processing industries do when raw food and assorted chemicals go into their factories.

Legally you can't be cruel to an invertebrate since it was decided some time ago that they lacked a proper brain capable of feeling what we call pain. Unless you have studied the matter or at least read the scientific liturature you are not qualified to do more than ask the question.

I am always amazed by the number of people (mostly men it has to be said) who complain about cruel farmers etc. and then go out with a selection of barbed hooks with the intention of getting them stuck in a fish's mouth or stomach. A fish is a vertebrate.

To accept the above you would have to start by believing in a god which fortunately is a diminishing habit.

In the absense of a god we just have to accept morality being an acceptable style of behaviour and not much more. Our laws have nothing to do with morality, but are founded on what is convenient and good for society. Morality is a vague term with little to base it on.