observer Posted February 15, 2011 Report Share Posted February 15, 2011 But alas, not in these times of cost cutting - hence soldiers being sacked by E-mail and 25% of trainee pilots sacked. Still, with the new "big society", perhaps these guys will volunteer to defend our Country for nowt?! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
silverlady54 Posted February 15, 2011 Report Share Posted February 15, 2011 How does that work? I thought they signed up for a specified number of years? Do they not try to redeploy them or is that not possible? It seems a huge waste of money in training costs! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
observer Posted February 15, 2011 Author Report Share Posted February 15, 2011 They've just scrapped an aircraft carrier, together with all it's Harrier aircraft; so we'll be without such a long range strike capability for the next 10 years - fine if we don't plan on anymore illegal invasions; not so fine if the Argies retake the Malvinas. Seems the Tories are throwing the baby out with the bath water in their manic crusade to balance the books. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
asperity Posted February 15, 2011 Report Share Posted February 15, 2011 manic crusade to balance the books. Â I would take issue with it being a manic crusade Obs. They are going the wrong way about it, but you have to agree that the books need to be balanced! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bazj Posted February 15, 2011 Report Share Posted February 15, 2011 not so fine if the Argies retake the Malvinas. Â Where? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
observer Posted February 16, 2011 Author Report Share Posted February 16, 2011 Certainly do agree that the books need balancing - but I'm afraid they're cutting out the good flesh with the bad, in this rushed case of financial surgery. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wolfie Posted February 16, 2011 Report Share Posted February 16, 2011 Like chopping your leg off for an ingrowing toe nail Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bazj Posted February 16, 2011 Report Share Posted February 16, 2011 Like chopping your leg off for an ingrowing toe nail  as opposed to the last lots way of doing it which would have been to borrow ?5 billion to build a new hospital (which your grandkids can pay back so don't worry about the cost just now) and then staff it with managers and chief executives - (all on a minimum of ?60k a year) and then hire a chiropodist (probably from Poland or Germany) to sort out the ingrowing toe nail? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
harry hayes Posted February 16, 2011 Report Share Posted February 16, 2011 ?120 million a day is what we pay in interest on the national debt. How many swimming baths etc does that equal? Â Getting it down should be the nations number one priority. So long as the vast majority feel the pain, so be it. Â Happy days Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wolfie Posted February 16, 2011 Report Share Posted February 16, 2011 So long as the vast majority feel the pain  The vast majority will not include the bankers of course, who on average, including pay and bonuses have just had a 35% increase, in the case of Barclays. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
observer Posted February 16, 2011 Author Report Share Posted February 16, 2011 Was it ever the case " it's the rich who get the pleasure and the poor who get the pain". The problem is, how deep to cut without compromising our capacity for growth. For we ultimately need growth in order to earn the money to repay the debt. btw. the "National debt" wasn't invented by New Labour (although they did their best to increase it); it's been with us since WW1 and has never been entirely paid off - think it's in the region of a ?trillion now? So with the cause having built over a nearly 100 years, it will probably take a similiar time frame to rectify matters - assuming it's possible at all. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
harry hayes Posted February 16, 2011 Report Share Posted February 16, 2011 Think we are all awfully aware of that Wolfie. Even then its not all bad news. Extra tax on the banks - perhaps not enough - and 50% tax on the bonuses, all helps. We can dwell forever on the banks failings which partly landed us in this mess, but that's water under the bridge now. Â In a way if Barclays are now thriving, that's also good news as we haven't much left in this country. Â My main point though, is that if you need an operation have it. All the sticking plasters in the world won't help. Â Happy days Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
asperity Posted February 16, 2011 Report Share Posted February 16, 2011 I was reading today that 40% of the world's financial transactions are dealt with by the City of London financial institutions. A big earner on the world stage. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wolfie Posted February 16, 2011 Report Share Posted February 16, 2011 If they are that big an earner why don't they pay back to the tax payer what they owe Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
observer Posted February 16, 2011 Author Report Share Posted February 16, 2011 A "big earner" for whom? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bazj Posted February 16, 2011 Report Share Posted February 16, 2011 If they are that big an earner why don't they pay back to the tax payer what they owe  probably the same reason why the rugby club haven't paid back the money they owe the council...... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
asperity Posted February 16, 2011 Report Share Posted February 16, 2011 For the country obviously Obs. The financial institutions get paid commission on the deals and pay tax on the profits. Of course they could move to another country and do the same there, only they wouldn't be paying tax in this country. Simple really Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
observer Posted February 16, 2011 Author Report Share Posted February 16, 2011 Be interested in the proportion of tax take to profit, and where the profit goes? Doesn't do much for the growing Army of young unemployed I'm afraid. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
asperity Posted February 16, 2011 Report Share Posted February 16, 2011 Well why don't you look it up Obs instead of constantly carping on at the fringes? Any sort of industry that brings money into the country is vital for our future. Your hatred of anybody who actually tries to make a living for themselves rather than relying on the industry of others is, frankly, becoming very tiring Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
observer Posted February 17, 2011 Author Report Share Posted February 17, 2011 But that's the point of the question: do they "bring money into the Country" or merely take a disproportionate share unto themselves? And does the practise of financial speculation actually produce anything tangible rather than notional? It certainly appears to be driving up global food prices at the moment. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
asperity Posted February 17, 2011 Report Share Posted February 17, 2011 I sometimes wonder if you act "thick" just to be controversial. Financial institutions are companies, not individuals, and they do not restrict themselves to speculation. They oil the gears of international trade. As for the rise in world food prices, you can lay a lot of the blame for that on the greenies who have been pushing the case for bio fuels which has taken vast areas of agricultural land out of food use and put it into fuel use. i.e people are starving so that the green dream of killing off the fossil fuel industry can come nearer. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
observer Posted February 17, 2011 Author Report Share Posted February 17, 2011 Another reason for the hike in food prices is the extreme weather events (drought in Russia, floods in OZ etc), but I forgot, you don't believe in those either! Your friends in the City, have no more interest in "the Country", than the punters in a bookies have any interest in the wellbeing of horses. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wolfie Posted February 17, 2011 Report Share Posted February 17, 2011 Your friends in the City, have no more interest in "the Country", than the punters in a bookies have any interest in the wellbeing of horses. Â Correct. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
asperity Posted February 17, 2011 Report Share Posted February 17, 2011 Firstly I don't have any friends in the City. And of course you are correct in what you say in that a Financial Company isn't actually a sentient being but rather is a company the same as any manufacturer in this country. A company doesn't have a conscience but rather follows the rules laid down by the legislator. Perhaps your giving such companies some sort of human personality gives you a focus for your hatred of any enterprise that makes a profit but it isn't reality  There hasn't been any increase in the frequency or extent of so called extreme weather events. The proof of this can be found by asking the large international insurance companies who say that, once adjusted for increased population and wealth, the amount being paid out is in line with past history. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
observer Posted February 17, 2011 Author Report Share Posted February 17, 2011 Do they "pay out" for "acts of God"?! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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