The economy

[b40rt]

I'll stick with that bit, there are a significant number who have a choice, and still go cheap.

Therein lies the problem.

I play with toy airyplanes and that demonstrates clearly why we are our own worst enemy;

People in clubs moan about there being no local hobbyshop dealing with toy airyplane bits n bobs.

There _used_ to be a local shop, but, the internet came along and people could save 50p off a widget by buying it mail order rather than going to the shop and bying it.

Net result? shop went out of business.

People maon about the prices of things and moan that there are no local shops, there is a connection.

and you do (usually) have a choice.

The gap between rich and poor has nothing to do with the general economy or the european situation. levelling incomes leads to everyone being poor.

I've lived in two properly communist countries, they are a disaster.

levelling reward leads to levelling of effort; and it always levells downward.

no-one tries harder for less money.

Moscow, back when it was a communist entity had priority traffic lanes for the rich and for politicians.

London, now has priority lanes for public transport.

I tryed to support two local business when our Dyson Vac died, Replacement new

[airwave]

I tryed to support two local business when our Dyson Vac died, Replacement new

[b40rt]

Fair comment, so should I stock up before my current suppliers go out of business ?

Or should the local boys wake up, buy and sell at the right price ?

(Anybody being reading about Tesco's "Big Price Drop " where they raised the prices before dropping them, and they are now back to where they were.)

[the addict]

Airwave

Banks lend between themselves to stabilise capital ratio's they must keep to. These ratio's in the fractional reserve banking system are pretty low, possibly 5%. The Banks create money for loans and must maintain a ratio of 5% as a safeguard against a run. If there is a run on a Bank, the Bank calls in the Central Bank to raise cash immediately.

I have noticed the reduction in withdrawl amounts lately, as well other small changes, they are definitely preparing for somkething? The gap bewtween the rich and poor is now huge, the difference being, as inflation reduces our spending power the rich just get paid more to compensate, you only have to look at CEO wages rises in the past few years and Bank bonuses.

Its possible Sterling has been devalued as much as 35% since 2008, this gives the impression to us all that prices are rising, they are not, our money is becoming worth less. Merv has chosen to use high inflation and low interest rates as his plan of attack, we are seeing inflation way too high today (you feel it at 15-20% not 5%) Inflation has been caused by QE and various other stimulus plans over the past three years devaluing the Pound.

Bilco, the UK is possibly in the worst position of any G20 countries today, the only thing holding it together is the Gilt yields being so low.

[monty_jon]

The biggest problem is that their products are not that bad.

I supply safety critical parts to the automotive industry, I have seen some Chinese components that have failed due to incorrect material specification, the machining was excellent (top rate CNC), but the failures lead to catastrophic consequences!

I have no doubt they can & will produce good quality parts, but people buy cheap then worry about the consequences later

The recession isnt as bad as all that, ok if business isnt prepared to change the way they work then there go down, i guess the last 12 years has made business lazy as money has pretty much landed in there laps, even during the last 12 years businessses have gone bust, so no big change there.

The same applies to joe public.

Theres certainly plenty of jobs out there it all depends how lazy and unwilling one is prepared to adjust to something new.

The UK is actually on very solid ground for the future.

I have adapted or business to suit the market, but I will not import parts from china

Plus if its that easy to get a job why do I get so many CVs thought the post!

Also an engineer (top rate at that) I made redundant 12 months ago is still looking for work?

Edited December 8, 2011 by Monty_Jon

[the addict]

Bilco, the recession isn't that bad? we are in a depression not recession, the only reason they are calling it recession is the endless printing of money to hide the fact. I saw a report Merv will go for QE3 possibly as early as January due to the money supply shrinking. You would not believe just how much money has been pumped about since 2008, its in the trillions, all of it debt.

[ham2]

.......... "Overseas aid" is not a good thing to cut, where do you think countries like Pakistan get the money to buy military equipment from the UK from . . ?

We give them money, they buy equipment they neither need, want or are capable of operating . . less a healthy percentage which the government officials keep

Obviously not UK government officials, they are far to "upright" for that . .

Overseas aid (

[b40rt]

Overseas aid (

[bilc0]

we are in a depression not recession,

Theres alot of depressed people about yes, its a good bet its down to the dotted line of debt (extremely high mortgage) they signed there name to 8 years ago.

[bilc0]

Also an engineer (top rate at that) I made redundant 12 months ago is still looking for work?

If your friend lived in devon and had his own van i could get him work tommorrow delivering parcels 6 days a week if he wants, the jobs hard graft and poorly paid but it will pay his bills.

Incidently its poor paid because companies expect courier companies deliver there goods for nothing.

[airwave]

India, home of the mega rich and the cast system, the up and coming China.

erm, no.

I shudder to disagree with someone so obviously leaning left for fear of being shot down for non PC values.

But India and China can not, in any way, shape or form, be compared.

India will never be another China, it . . .might, be another "Africa" but not a China.

Sorry.

China being a good communist country, has VIP expressways which soar above the "freeways, which in turn soar above the 'great unwashed"

I've been to and worked in both.

chalk - cheese, are more similar.

Indians, when you get them drunk enough, blame the UK for the state of their country.

Chinese, don't even know where the UK is (bit like 'mercans)

Left wing ideology is what has planked europe in the mess it is in.

A belief that we are "entitled" or "deserve" or it is our "right" to have (insert item you can't actually pay for here)

has led to the entire continent grossly over spending it's means.

Should you decide that the UK with it's con/lib gov is not socialist / communist, I urge you to note the upper taxation level of 62%

where the country gets more from your efforts than you do.

erm, communism by definition (although, only saddled on the"rich")

yes, I mutter this as the MD of a small company.

I am appalled at the taxation levied in the UK

and, I've been to and worked in more countries than is either sensible or reasonable, and as such, I have a _pretty_ good idea of where the UK sits in the "real" world.

oddly enough, in the middle.

not better,

not worse,

than most places.

Edited December 8, 2011 by airwave

[airwave]

Overseas aid (

[bilc0]

Solid ground. Define please?

We're not in the same place as some of the Euro countries, However no doubt UK banks are tied up in Europe, i think Airwave has covered that subject.

[airwave]

and it's not a new problem.

"The budget should be balanced, the Treasury should be refilled, public debt should be reduced, the arrogance of officialdom should be tempered and controlled, and the assistance to foreign lands should be curtailed lest Rome become bankrupt. People must again learn to work, instead of living on public assistance." – Cicero 54BC

Edited December 8, 2011 by airwave

[the addict]

We're not in the same place as some of the Euro countries, However no doubt UK banks are tied up in Europe, i think Airwave has covered that subject.

Bilco, you are joking? the only thing keeping us from a bailout is the markets perception of us, we are lucky to have low Gilt yields, Germany and France have recently seen rises in their bonds, and a recent German Bond sale was a disaster.

Edited December 8, 2011 by The Addict