h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

the last time I looked, Afghanistan shares a border with China, something it does not with India.

money knows no borders!!!

especially when its transfered between secret swiss bank accounts

So the situation is: The two most populous nations on earth with two of the fastest growing (hungry) economies and two of the weakest but resource rich countries in between.

Japan and America fading fast.

Could get interesting.

What with the nukes and all.

"the last time I looked, Afghanistan shares a border with China, something it does not with India" [anhaga]

The history of India is replete with invasions from the area where present-day Afghanistan is located. If I were runnbing India (not that I want to), I would certainly not want history to repeat itself.
Afghanistan is sitting on more than a trillion dollars' worth of mineral resources. Maybe that wealth will get developed, and maybe it won't, but even if a small part of it does, Afghanistan will be wealthy enough to look beyond its borders. Granted, India is nervous enough about Pakistan to its west, and the Maoist rebels in one of its eastern states, without having to worry about what's up north, even if it doesn't actually share a border.

Re: the Pope & Condoms.

Is this a softening in the previous hard line?

The Bishop of Lincoln will bless Lincolnshire's gritters in the hope of cutting the number of winter crashes.

The Right Reverend Dr John Saxbee, who retires in January, has blessed the county's fleet each year since 2003.

He said past ceremonies had been followed by a reduction in road deaths, which was "perhaps not a coincidence".

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-lincolnshire-11805752

I wonder if I could get him to bless my arse, because I'm going on a curry night out next week and I'm worried about nasty accidents occurring in the aftermath.

Irish government backs bail-out: The Republic of Ireland will make a formal request for international aid to shore up its finances later on Sunday...

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-11805529

So, how much will the bail-out be?

***
The Sunday Times speculated that the Republic's bail-out package would be worth up to 120bn euros.

This compares with the 110bn euros Greece is set to receive over three years.

However, Mr Lenihan (Ireland's Finance Minister) said the total would "not be three figures".
***

No, Mr Lenihan, E120 billion isn't three figures. It's E120,000,000,000 - that's 12 figures.

...but you know how bad things must be when you see where they're going for advice:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-11802271

Aren't Westlife worth more than Ireland though?


Do you think it would help Ireland if Bono paid taxes there?

sinn fein have offered to help with the bail out

if a representative of the govt. turns up at the border at a given point at a given time they will hand over several thousand carrier bags full of US$ all in untraceable used notes

>Westlife call for Irish 'positivity'<

Yes Icy..apparently Dave has lined up Lord Young of Gratham with a new job already..he's to be sent to Ireland to tell the Irish, 'they've never had it so good'

I thought pretty much *every* country needs help. Where would the bailout money come from?

Every cloud has a silver lining - or is it the source of Mr Wei's trade - Every siliver lining has a cloud attached

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-pacific-11797410

> Where would the bailout money come from?<

We'll have to borrow it.

I've heard Westlife are going to raise the money by donating proceeds of their new single, "You Raise Me Taxes Up".

R Kelly is also acknowledging his Irish ancestry and donating the proceeds of his charity recording, I Believe I Can (Make Up Policy On The) Fly.

RF

so as we have helped bailed out ireland to the tune of £7 Billion, sterling, when the euro goes up

do we get first dibs on asset stripping the country,

we turn the whole place into a theme park and fleece the americans!!!!

http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5gZdGGMi6Ij7VLo2ZCCSJPDGXBVHw?docId=CNG.1c0739816baf7a74cf9c1f279b01d81e.491

Malaysia's Sisters of Islam win right to use name

Tiny chihuahua set to join Japan police

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-pacific-11804083

Or as Japanese news sources reported it - "Police recruiting huge bloody dog-creatures"

French woman jailed in Brazil cocaine case

http://www.expatica.com/fr/news/french-news/french-woman-jailed-in-brazil-cocaine-case-family_112083.html