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.

Best comment so far on the whole business from Sam Jones, FT Hedge Fund correspondent, today at lunchtime:

"Cuts cuts cuts. Fund manager I am with thinks these will create opportunities. So we are having a nice Montrachet."

See Tweedledee and Tweedledum are asking Nick help to explain the economy to them.

Seems more like a comedy act on the music hall circus than a government.

Mind the act is a little black humoured.

Can't the Navy afford Charts nowadays.

Nuclear submarine 'grounded on rocks' off Skye

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

Royal Navy submarine HMS Astute has got into difficulty off Skye, the Ministry of Defence (MoD) has confirmed.

An eye-witness told BBC Scotland that the boat appeared to be grounded on rocks a few miles from the Skye road bridge.

A Ministry of Defence spokeswoman said: "This is a not a nuclear incident.

"We are responding to the incident and can confirm that there are no injuries to personnel and the submarine remains watertight."

The spokeswoman added: "There is no indication of any environmental impact".

The Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA) said it was alerted to the incident at about 0819 BST.

A spokesman said they were monitoring the situation.

Another, you could not make it up.

A cafowner in Stockport Manchester has been ordered to remove an extractor fan because the smell of fried bacon is offending passing Muslims. Several Muslims have made complaints to Stockport Council.
I wonder if the same action would have been ordered if a smell coming from a Muslim caf had resulted in a similar complaint from none Muslims.
All actions such as this both store up and increase anger and racial tensions.
Integration, who are they kidding.

Greek,

I personally wouldn't like to live next door to a "curry" house or a "chippy". Especially if they were working 24hours a day.

I think I would be happy that they installed an extractor of some beneficial form.

=========


You like numbers and "logic".

If you haven't heard this programme, try a quick listen.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/console/b00vcqcx/In_Our_Time_Logic

http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/console/b00vcqcx/In_Our_Time_Logic

pth. the principle of two warships is always a very good idea considering the lead in times involved. A backup is always useful. However, when these were on the drawing board someone should have seen the defence budget black hole forming and cut the cloth accordingly. Maybe the carriers were an ego stroking exercise for someone or may be it was thought that some more creative accounting would pay for them.

Two smaller vessels carrying fewer jets would have been better than two floating helicopter platforms.

I agree, cancelling the contract would have been totally wrong with the costs involved and at least it keeps the shipyards et al busy.

Rawdm999,

Another problem I see, is how will the build quality stand up. It must be very difficult to take pride in building a ship over several years that is destined to end up in a foreign navy, or even scrapped.
I accept there were very options open to the government, but by the time the ships are built, who knows what the financial/political situation will be.

R999

I don't think anyone saw the 'black hole' approaching, otherwise the country wouldn't be in the mess we are now. The carriers and all other defence projects were predicated upon the strategic vision at the time (we're talking some years ago). The RN service chiefs believed (and still do) that the CVS project is critical to the future shape of the Navy. Procurement is certainly a complicated business and Grand Strategic planning is always going to be flawed by the lack of a crystal ball.

Also, I don't think build quality will be any more of a problem now than it ever has been Greek, I doubt the Yards that are constructing each bit of the ships are too worried where they might end up and your final comment is entirely correct.

Defending overseas safe havens!

Just read a report where the general opinion given by the forces hierarchy and leading politician are convinced that if we have another Falklands incident, we would not be able to defend the Islands. I appreciate that they have their own agendas, thereby putting a bias on their thinking, but can anyone see how the hell we could defend another attack anywhere near the scale of the last one.
I wonder what the Argies are thinking. Probably rubbing their hands with glee, thinking 'oil lots of oil, which is probably many times value of the total defense budget.
And to say that we would be relying on the French to supply aircraft in the event of our future carriers requirements is living in plain cloud cuckoo land.
When have we ever been able to rely on France to come to our aid.
France put themselves, first, second and last. Perhaps we should.
We should have drastically cut overseas aid instead of cutting our defense budget so drastically. Remember much of this aid goes to countries who have a nuclear bomb capability. They put their defense above the care of their people. We put the care of their people above our defense.
How can that make sense.
Also remember that a vast amount of the aid never reaches those to whom it is intended.
It's about time we stopped playing the rich uncle, when we are often looked at by those countries we assist with disdain and hate.

That's my boy!



So it's "All friends once again". Isn't it nice to see everything's turned out well in the end?

It could be that Rooney will be put on a basic of 150k -160k a week but will more than double that figure through image rights.

Hmmm? I think they've missed their chance. I could have played as well as that for them for 1,000 per week and only on a 1 year contract.

Good.

About time we realised we are attempting to punch above our weight.

It would seem a sensible time to become a full member of the EU.

But I guess they wouldn't want England.

Looking at the picture, anyone else think that Alex is Rooney's dad.

Come on son, on me ead

pth, when you think that 30odd billion in the defence budget was unfunded someone must have known about the shortfall. That amount of money is not pocket change even to the last gov.

If (when) the argies want to try again for the falklands we will truly see how the US views our special relationship.

Wifey is postulating that Alex Ferguson and Rooney might have actually conspired together against with a view to getting Rooney's pay increased to a sum, which was substantially more than the 90k per week he was currently getting.

Makes a bit of sense, too. Although, it does seem to be a quite far-fetched scheme.

Sir Alex could not have been seen to take a stance against 'Gill and/or the Glazers' beforehand. And yet Rooney's pay, in comparison with the pay of others, did seem to be on the low side. So there was the nub: "How to do something about it?"

In the last punch-up, it was the Argy Etendards(french),
armed with Exocets,(progammed into our navy detection
as nato friendly) that did our ships in.
A commando raid to their base in the south
fixed their wagon.
With Astute hanging around(when they get it of the scottish seabed)
seaborne seems unlikely and
I don't think they have ability to do an airborne invasion.

Forces chefs are saying that if the Argies wanted they could occupy the Falklands and I quote, 'without a shot being fired', and with little to no risk of any military action being taken against them. And with a possible multi billion pounds of oil deposits, it must be a false economic move to deplete of forces budget so drastically.
I intend to take these matter up with our local Conservative MP later today. It will at least give me a chance to vent my strong opinion on this, along with the increased overseas aid budget.

I think many in America are more afraid of China's economic and IT strength, than the their nuclear armaments and aircraft carriers.

We are still seem to be talking "caveman" on a little island.

Sign over a Gynecologist's Office:

"Dr. Jones, at your cervix."




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In a Podiatrist's office:

"Time wounds all heels."

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On a Septic Tank Truck:

Yesterday's Meals on Wheels

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At a Proctologist's door:

"To expedite your visit, please back in. "

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On a Plumber's truck:

"We repair what your husband fixed."

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On another Plumber's truck:

"Don't sleep with a drip. Call your plumber."

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On a Church's Bill board:

"7 days without God makes one weak."

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At a Tyre Shop in :

"Invite us to your next blowout."

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At a Towing company:

"We don't charge an arm and a leg. We want tows.."

**************************

On an Electrician's truck:

"Let us remove your shorts."

******** ******************

In a Nonsmoking A rea:

"If we see smoke, we will assume you are on fire and take appropriate action."

**************************

On a Maternity Room door:

"Push. Push. Push."

**************************

At an Optometrist's Office:

"If you don't see what you're looking for, you've come to the right place."

**************************

On a Taxidermist's window:

"We really know our stuff."

**************************

On a Fence:

"Salesmen welcome! Dog food is expensive!"

**************************

At a Car Dealership:

"The best way to get back on your feet - miss a car payment."

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Outside a Muffler Shop:

"No appointment necessary. We hear you coming.."

**************************

In a Veterinarian's waiting room:

"Be back in 5 minutes. Sit! Stay!"

**************************

At the Electric Company

"We would be delighted if you send in your payment.

However, if you don't, you will be."

**************************

In a Restaurant window:

"Don't stand there and be hungry; come on in and get fed up."

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In the front yard of a Funeral Home:

"Drive carefully. We'll wait."

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At a Propane Filling Station:

"Thank heaven for little grills."

**************************

And don't forget the sign at a

RADIATOR SHOP:

"Best place in town to take a leak."

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Sign on the back of another Septic Tank Truck:

"Caution - This Truck is full of Labour Party Promises and Guardian leaders"