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

" the wealthiest 1,000 people in the UK now worth a record £414 billion."
http://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/2012/04/29/sunday-times-rich-list--lakshmi-mittal-wealthiest_n_1462232.html

And those 1000 people contribute nearly 30% of all income taxes raised

US President Barack Obama has signed into effect a wave of steep spending cuts which he has warned could damage the US economy.
The cuts - known as the sequester and drawn up two years ago - will take $85bn (£56bn) from the US federal budget this year.
The BBC's Mark Mardell in Washington says the cuts were designed to be so brutally painful that politicians would be forced to agree on a better way of balancing the books.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-21638727

So public expenditure suffers at the expense of private expenditure, except most of the "public" expenditure would have gone on the US military. This begs the question is it time to drastically downsize the US military - surely this is one publicly funded service the american public can afford to cut?

Ignoring the boogeyman under the bed can have consequences -

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2013-03-02/man-swallowed-as-sinkhole-opens-under-bedroom/4549380

I one believed in hell, the appearance of this sinkhole under the bed could scare the be-jesus out of you.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-latin-america-14252489

If one ...

It's almost here - printing out your own functional machine guns - making use of 3D printers
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-21639015

I am becoming convinced that Homo Sapiens has a "use by date" on it.

I think the choices they were discussing (I had a chat about it in the Stocksbridge library the other day, since their sports centre is on the list for the chop too) and it seems that local feeling is that they would rather keep more of the local facilities and let the Don Valley Stadium go. It makes more sense to me that way too. (and let's not forget, there weren't that many people in Sheffield actually asking for the thing in the first place all those years ago)

Remind me why US/UK/Nato are in Afghanistan?

Anyway NATO says they mistook two afghani boys aged under 7 years of age as insurgents and so shot them to death.
Two weeks ago NATO also admit shooting to death five women and four children plus a man, but presumably men don't count.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-21642531

>> If one ... <<

Thanks for explaining that.
I'd read it as "I once believed..."


~jwf~

Difference being when NATO kill innocent people, it's a mistake and makes headlines around the world. When the Taliban kill innocent people, it's deliberate and not even reported.

>> This begs the question is it time to drastically downsize the US military -
surely this is one publicly funded service the american public can afford to cut? <<

Is it time? No, it's too late.
The American economy is dependent upon military expenditures.

They call it the Military/Industrial Complex but we often dont
realise how complex it is. It is modelled on the Roman Empire
and Feudal castle economies where everything exists to support
and supply the army which in turn protects its suppliers.

Thousands of small businesses, employing anywhere from a
few specialists to hundreds of skilled laborers, exist only
to provide parts and services to the military.

If for example the cuts result in one naval ship not being refitted
it means a company that supplies brass valves is out of business.
A paint supplier goes bankrupt, hundreds of electricians have no
work, the restaurants where they all eat close, the town loses
its tax base...

The military buys most of the manufactured goods made in the US.


~jwf~

swl - never give up never surrender. I hear you, and I know what you mean.

I meant to correct the subject line.
But when I copied the quote out of one
of the 'no subject' replies I forgot.
Forgive please.
I fix now.

~jwf~

We all know that FIFA awarding Qatar the 2022 World Cup was allegedly based on corruption (with alleged cash bribes etc) and that the Qatar bid was allegedly not in fact the best bid.

Of course this is all allegation, but one wonders why some in FIFA now claim that holding the World Cup in Qatar may in fact be a health risk and due to H&S reasons may have to be shifted to the winter season when the European Leagues are in full swing:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/21644726

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2286844/Mother-bitten-spider-Spain-nearly-dies-wound-infected-flesh-eating-bug.html (apologies for the Daily Mail link)
I'm puzzled by what this poor woman has to say:
'It brought tears to my eyes, it was like a bee sting but it didn't go away. I put insect repellent on it and didn't think any more about it.'

I always thought you were supposed to put insect repellent on *before* you got bit/stung, not after

Haven't got a link but the BBC commentator at the Hamilton v Falkirk football match told listeners that a player was booked for "Reminiscing with the referee"

Those were the days...