shoeshine

It'll be a busy and long night for Amateur Radio enthusiasts tonight, too. Many of them will be transmitting voice messages to and listening out for audio reception of "ghostly-sounding" messages from other Radio Amateurs doing the same. The Perseid Meteor Showers sometimes act as "reflectors" of radio transmissions from (and back) to Earth. I've heard them myself, although its quite some years ago now.

We may be ..... future generations will be picking up the tab re QE for a very long time, though.

Britain is following Mugabe's example in Zimbabwe. End result: Barrowloads of devalued currency needed to buy a single loaf of bread.

Look here, vixen ....... please stay on topic! Has anyone suggested trying to put cat-sized longjohns on a cat? Daft, suppliant dogs will put up with wearing whatever their master/mistress commands them to wear .... however daft they look.

Crikey! You'll have ZanuLabour passing a law on the matter next! Don't encourage them, fgs!

:hihi: It was a long time ago since you and I, 'er .......... (discussed my longjohns) pattricia. So, back to topic.

No! Dogs are better at being manipulated by humans because they are incapable of independent thought processes.

Cat's never forget anything ....... a dog can't remember owt that's happened since its last meal, pattricia.

We've had dogs and cats ....... There's no doubt cats are more intelligent than dogs. Dogs always like to please their "dumb" owners, acting on orders from them, whatever happens to themselves. Cats don't do that. They weigh up the pro's and com's of a command, the potential risks to themselves, and readily recognise a "dumb" owner when they have one. No contest!!!

Having read up to 62 posts to-date on this thread, I'm not surprised similar threads disappear into the "wide blue yonder". (Ferrets squabbling in a sack comes to mind). Immigration, provided it is carefully controlled is an acceptable, worthy and worthwhile thing for the indigenous population. It has the benefit of widening and adding to the skills base available within the general population of a country. Where our Government has gone seriously wrong is that they have set no firm limitation on the volumes of incoming immigrants or on the individual immigrant's ability of surviving without taxpayer support. What's potentially much worse is that our so-called "Border Control" is non-existent. Add to that the caudron boiling within parts of the UK (and Greater Europe) is due to the EU's "open border" policy written in stone by a succession of UK/EU Governments. It's a recipe for unrest and anarchy throughout the whole of Europe. Whichever political Party you feel can and will rectify these past decisions, it's vital you use your vote when the time comes. It's the only way you can change things.

Rest in Peace, beautiful Ferrah. Others will possibly know you as "Farrah". Another excellent and apt piece of writing from you, Sir Nigel.

Thank heavens your spelling is impeccable.

Maybe "Grahame" has suffered a trauma of some sort which has brought him to find solace in religion.

So you're hoping to meet "Annie Oakley" .... aka Doris Day?

:hihi: Same here .... she hates feet ..... I'm not "into" foot fetishes either.

Which shows the sort of company AJ mixes with! Only kidding, AJ!

Be fair though, Hecate. Such studies keep the "paranormalists" off the weekend streets during and after the pubs/clubs close.

I've been using earlier versions of Safari and downloaded the latest version a couple of days ago, and it's great! I'm on Vista Home Premium.

Gordon Brown?

Have you any experience of being self-employed, epiphany, or have you ever worked for any Public Services?

You were the one to react to the word communism on this thread.

You've got it in one, HeadingNorth.

In an ideal world I suppose it is. Having said that, there's always "slackers" prepared to be selfish enough to work the system and profit from their colleagues' hard labour. Everyone can benefit (and do) via their contributions to a Works Pension Scheme. Successful companies add their own contributions to those of its employees to enhance the ultimate benefits to the worker. That's the theory, anway ... but currently most of the Company Pension Schemes and its Members have been raided by a hungry Government determined to tax them until the pips squeak. Also, anyone can buy shares when they choose to do so ..... preferably in profitable Stock Market Companies, rather than "failing" ones, for obvious reasons. That way you, like any private employer, will be taking the risk (hopefully with a positive outcome) of using your own capital to provide work for the employees of same. Once a year, all Public Companies hold a Shareholder Meeting. At the Meeting, which as a Shareholder you have a right to attend, the Annual Accounts are available to all shareholders with respect to the Company's Profit & Loss, the level of Taxation paid HM Revenue and Taxation subtracted etc. You can cast a vote and speak out about whatever doesn't meet your ideals when the "Any other business" section of the Meeting is reached. Simple really.

Do people with computer/internet access still buy newspapers? Most newspapers (including those published in other countries world-wide) can easily be read for free online, and finding their web addresses is simple. Google is your friend. You'll be saving the planet from deforestation too!

Much as one likes to quote recent "Political" History and try to relate it to today's situation, I reckon it's a waste of time entirely. The World's economy has changed so much in the last 35-40 years. Who'd have thought, in previous decades that the end of the Cold War (which seemed so far away) would lead to the Phoenix rising to make Russia, China, India and similar Nations becoming such powerhouses driving the World Economy? Indeed, who at that time would have thought the UK (then a Sovereign Nation) would have accepted 70%+ of its Laws from a massive Continental Bloc, with its Head Honchos running the whole caboodle (the European Commission) comprised of unelected Commissioners? This business of Tory versus Labour versus Lib Dem etc as being the best to lead Britain is facile and pointless. Our 646 MPs are but "rubber-stampers" these days .... and that includes most of those Whitehall and the "Ministries" employees who are grossly over-staffed and overpaid to advise them. Whichever Party is incumbent in Government at any time will always fiddle unpopular statistics (yep, even Unemployment figures) to enhance their image to the voters. 'Twas ever thus!