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.

I think you have to distinguish between the opinion of the majority of the population and that of activists. I know that activists often think they represent the view and will of the population, but that is rarely the case.

The silent majority are just that. Protestors occupying the St Pauls area etc have no real meaning for most people. It is just a collection of news items with no long term importance. These demonstrations are not some grass roots movement, but a collection of the usual suspects.

It is not a coincidence that when you see the protests (and I have seen a few at close quarters), the majority of the banners have the captions Socialist Workers Party or www.swp.org.uk printed on them.

It is all best ignored and viewed with mild amusement.

Is America legal?

American lawyers and British barristers have a bit of thresh at deciding who is right:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-15345511

And guess what? Well, er, erm.....

The argument could go probably go on for centuries. It's all the fault of James II.

Haystack, strange I thought labour were in power for 13 years last time. Thats two terms isnt it.

I see people taking up places at University is at its lowest for years. I think some of these students wont have such a short memory.

Yes, Labour were in for more than one term, but that was the result of Labour pretending not to be socialist by rebranding itself as New Labour. With the return to more left wing policies it should be the end of that brief love affair with the public.

The drop in UK student applications was 12%. The reported drop of 9% is because foreign students are up. This can only be a good thing. The plan of Tony Blair that 50% of school children should go to university was absurd and has been widely crisicised by academics. The fall should gradually remove many of the silly subjects from universities. Too many kids were going to university that should not have been. It looks like a step in the right direction. Hopefully the trend will continue. Ishould point out that UCAS did say this today "with months before the final application deadline such preliminary figures remain 'unreliable indicators'". The UCAS process has only just started a few days ago.

Haystack,

Like you I have also seen many of these protesters close to and fully agree the vast majority being the usual suspects.
Most of them shout anti-capitalist slogans for the sole reason that most of them, don't work, won't work.
I still feel that the more moderate people are starting to get off their backsides and make a bit more noise.

Basil won't be pleased. Heavy rain in Torquay closes seafront road

I heard his trapped in is car and he has to get back with a replacement birthday cake for the one he sat on.

Agree with Greek 8-)

Cameron is like a car salesman who has hidden detail in the small print.

However, another problem is that he has little grasp of detail and with his introduction of brainless policies he has even less comprehension of overall political strategy.

That is obvious by the increasing number of U-turns, but that is in keeping with his PR background.

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(We have a real safe pairs of hands with Osborne and Dave.)

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I do feel happy with him representing the UK in Brussels, but keep on expecting him to turn up for media interviews, dressed in a skirt and swinging his hand bag, followed by a group of unwilling bridesmaids.

It is good to see that a PM in a period of economic chaos is standing up for British interests and Independence at the expense of those he may be going cap in hand to later.

That must make good coalition political sense to some.
Threatening to derail further integration and wishing for greater deregulation (at the same time blaming the previous government for lack of financial regulation) is another brilliant strategy.

No wonder Sarkozy was telling him to B. off.

Perhaps, many insular tory MPs would be happier outside the .EU, but so might the EU be happier without the little Englanders.

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There was a time when Europe "needed", or benefited, by having a the UK in its midst.

Those gains are becoming less obvious to the other members of the EU.

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Hays,

Would you bet on an economic recovery before the next election. I wouldn't and think the middle classes will be still feeling the unnecessary pain this coalition of conmen has put them through.

I would bet on an economic recovery and the pain that the middle classes are feeling is necessary. You only have to look at the 10 year bond yields for different countries to see what the effects of different policies get you. We have the lowest in the EU and Greece the highest. The rest are in between with several much closer to Greece.

Greece 24.5%
UK 2.24%

7% is generally seen as unsustainable

Good to see the tory relic wheeled out on TV to give his Euro-phobic opinion.

I thought he had gone to the knacker's yard for boiling down.

Perhaps, I am confusing him with Norman Wisdom, they had much in common.

Hays,

Before you place your bet have a quick look at:

http://blogs.channel4.com/faisal-islam-on-economics/exclusive-uk-economy-likely-to-be-shrinking-now/15272

Fred is so thick he still doesn't know how to place a link in a post.


http://blogs.channel4.com/faisal-islam-on-economics/exclusive-uk-economy-likely-to-be-shrinking-now/15272

The article is about the effect of the Eurozone problems. In four years time things should be fine.

Anyone watch Panorama this evening?

Horrified (but not surprised) at the UK's complicity in Libya if true.

No i am answering your stupid remarks

DC, lol, it finished nearly an hour ago.

I wouldn't have expected someone of your limited intelligence to have an opinion, stay on the RRL thread.

I've just put this on my Christmas list (9.09 at Amazon) One in the eye for Harold.

Just had a thought.

Imagine after Camerons spat with Sarkozy at last Sundays EU finance meeting.

Cameron, "Hi Nick, I suppose you have heard that the Aries are starting to kick off again about the Falklands".
Sarkozy, "Whats that got to do with me".
Cameron, "We have intelligence that they are about to invade the islands again, so we would like to pop over and borrow one of your aircraft carriers.
Sarkozy trying and failing not to laugh, "You have to be joking".
Cameron, "But we have a signed agreement".
Sarkozy, "You think for one minute that the French people would agree to you using one of our carriers".
Cameron, " Okay, I have tried to be nice. If you renegade on the deal, we will take you to the EU committee, and the UN. You should also remember that we came to your aid during two world wars against Germany".
Sarkozy, " Oh that old coconut, that was just a misunderstanding. Our German friends have said they are sorry, so I think you should refrain from mentioning the war".
Cameron, "You mean chestnut, but thats by the by, so you won't help us".
Sarkozy, "Let me put it this way. We would not pisss on you if you were on fire".
Cameron, "If you take that attitude, we will take this to the highest court in the land. Also remember, we have our very close friends the Americans on our side".
Sarkozy ending the call, due to uncontrollable laughter!.

But seriously, can anyone see if push came to shove, the French sticking to the carrier agreement.

Bomb them now!

Nice to see the tories remain as split as ever.

The remark like a split of bananas.

Sorry like a Banana Split.

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Come on boys, if we organise ourselves properly there is enough for all of us and perhaps the rest of the country.