Aaron

It'll probably go back in during work hours like when a direct debit fails due to insufficient funds. When I forget to transfer money to the bill-paying account it sometimes goes into minus figures, and then later the money gets refunded and whoever wanted to take it sends me a nasty letter.

The REALLY easy, and proper way to solve the obesity problem is to stop taking money from "responsible" people to pay for the treatment of "irresponsible" people

Then imo your doing something wrong. I doubt i could put it entirely down to price increases. But it is definitely very significant. If you compare the cost of grain/meat/and energy (needed to transport all of this) to that 5 years ago I'm fairly sure you couldn't possibly get anywhere near the same now for the previous price.

Why not? If you have a valid point of view to express then you could always elaborate. why should I? and who said I want to express anything? Oh and legally I'm not allowed to speak about the company I work for on the internet You called someone greedy, and I asked you a hypothetical question, in as generic a manner as I could (not knowing what service/product it is that you provide) because I think you misunderstand what greed is. You don't *have* to do anything. You *should* do *if* you feel like discussing it, which I assumed that you do because you brought it up. FWIW the definition of a greedy person that I believe to be most appropriate is one who seeks to consume more than he produces. The price discovery mechanism of a free market determines what the value of your own labour is, and the value of what you want to exchange it for. Greed doesn't enter the picture. Ofcourse, we don't have anything like a truly free market. If you have reason to think that the price of potatoes is influenced by coercive forces (which ofcourse it is to a certain extent) and that the farmer is in on it, then maybe you have a point. With regards to inflation in general - it's probably worse that many people imagine when you consider the fact that increases in productivity/efficiency, which we expect and see continuously, should go some way to offset diminishing energy sources, etc.

Why not? If you have a valid point of view to express then you could always elaborate.

If maximizing profits is an example of greed, then will you be volunteering to take a pay cut in 2013? So that people might enjoy the products/services, which your employer provides, for a lower price? There's no such thing as greed in voluntary trade. If the product isn't worth the price then it won't be purchased.

My weekly shopping bill has doubled in 5 years since I bought my house.

I work with a guy named Randy Sarah.

That's what zero percent interest rates get you : )

I don't think that the article is saying that dilated pupils is directly related to dyslexia. It's just trying to illustrate the difference between signs & symptoms. Afaik dyslexia is often associated with ADHD, etc. And medications used for ADHD, such as ritalin, cause pupil dilation. I agree with your sentiment - why accuse semeone of being a liar when you could just ask them to explain. Expecially when you're a layperson yourself.

The supposed tourism boost is nonsense. It's the same nonsense argument for retail losses due to bank holidays; What you don't spend today you can spend tomorrow, and vice versa. Boosting the economy from all the construction, etc, is nonsense too. It's the broken window fallacy in action. The Olympics is a corporate fundraising event, and the local traders who are dealing with olympic brand police coercion will attest as much. Considering that we're over £1 trillion in debt (excluding pensions, etc) it leaves a bad taste in my mouth. Perhaps it might raise the profile of the country to encourage foreign investment, although I think they could have done more to make it less exclusively London focused. I personally find the whole thing disgusting. It's a strong word I know. If the only times people can muster some kind of human spirit is in the name of nationalistic pride (an evil thing, as are all forms of collectivism), then perhaps the majority deserve the misery that is coming. Considering every penny you pay in taxes goes to pay a growing national debt, then selling your children into debt-slavery, to the tune of an extra £15 billion or so, so that you can have a party to celebrate our collective idiocy seems a particularly evil (another appropriately strong word) thing. Yay! go team GB!

I prefer to get my news from somewhere other than the Ministry of Truth.

So basically Religion is like a pointles thread If you didn't post, I wouldn't reply and you wouldn't reply to me for replying to you. Got it now But what happens if someone else replies http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HY-03vYYAjA

Should have posted this a couple ago (because it's off topic), but in the interest of balance, here's another Rand clip. Watch 'till the end where she explains why she is hard on the Arabs. The salient point for me is that the destruction of civilians, for which she condemns them, is exactly what we're doing now over 35 years later. I could attempt to rationalize Arab sentiments with regards to western foreign policy, ex post facto, in the light of more modern revelations, but that is besides the point: ">

You make an excellent case for a rational response, rather than destroying nations in the name of retaliation and thereby perpetuating the cycle of violence which provoked such distaste in the first place! Here's some Ayn Rand because She's awsome: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fTmac2fs5HQ And some George Carlin because he's awsome and fun at the same time: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H8jNKk-5Gy4 **edit** swapped Carlin clip for a better sound quality clip.

...and that sums up how I feel about my beliefs Me too (but probably a different atheist flavour of the same thing)

They aren't fighting because their religion dictates it anymore than British soldiers are fighting because their nationality dictates that they must. You might identify yourself as English or British. Jews identify themselves as Jewish regardless of where they reside. These Muslims identify with Islam, despite where they reside. Is your (assumed on my part) allegiance to your nationality, based on the little geographical region you happen to occupy, any more valid than a persons allegiance to the particular faith the choose? Islam is a religious identity in this case, just as Britain is (again, assumed by me) a nationalistic identity you choose. These men, regardless of whether you think their grievances are valid or not, are fighting to defend the people that they identify with (" ...until you stop the bombing, gassing, imprisonment and torture of my people..."). He's saying right there that if you stop committing aggressive acts against Muslims then they will stop retaliating. Nowhere does he say that the Quran says that he must kill non-muslims simply because they are infidels. Apart from that their religion most certainly does not advocate peace in the face of aggression. And even if it did, citing as much in order to vilify them for defending themselves would be a particularly sick and twisted bit of propaganda. Intelligent, evil people, use religion as a tool to manipulate less intelligent people, sure. But in this particular case, in my opinion, blaming the 7/7 bombings on their religion falls under the same category as the "they hate us for our freedoms" nonsense, which is intelligent, evil people, using nationalistic pride and patriotism as a tool to manipulate less intelligent people.

The videos made by the bombers seem to paint a different picture.... No they don't. Here are the salient points, from wikipedia (emphasis mine):

If some people choose to use their religion to bring their children up to be able to respect others as well as themselves ... The point is it doesn't, generally speaking at least. You might have a religion that is built on logic & reason, which necessarily leads to rational (reasoned and optimal) behavior, but then that wouldn't really be a religion in the usual sense; it would be philosophy. Lying to children to abandon reason leads to grown ups in possession of malfunctioning moral compasses. How can a person derive a valid (internally consistent and non-contradictory) moral code without the faculties of logic and reason? I've less of an issue with a more abstract feeling of spirituality; but spirituality has nothing to do with morality or ethics.

Do you believe that 7/7 had anything to do with religion? Or do you suspect that when you oppress a people with such overwhelming military, and economical might, such that they have no hope at fighting back, then terrorism is the only avenue of retaliation left open to them? Noone has the right to vote away another man's freedom, so if you believe, like I do, that religion is a corrupting and ultimately evil institution (because it's the willful abandonment of reason) then the way to fix it is education. Stop telling your kids ghost stories about the imaginary man in the sky, and drumming fear into them by telling them that if they don't behave a certain way they will burn in hell forever, and they will likely grow up to be well reasoned and less mentally damaged individuals who will raise their own children in the same way. Peaceful parenting is the key to changing the world. If you feel the need to belong to something - to believe in something - then believe in the potential of humanity. Join the cult of reason. Abandon the religion of violence being a rational way to solve problems. @Nman - I don't think that science claims to explain how the universe got here. The big bang theory is just an explanation of why we observe certain characteristics inherent in the universe. How did the universe before the big bang get here? Who knows. It *could* be God, or it could equally likely be the flying spaghetti monster (as Dawkins would say). Humans have an innate curiosity, which is probably what has gotten us this far, and naturally we want to know all about how we got here! To abandon reason and contrive a God in order to answer the question is awful. It is self-delusion and the antithesis of all that is great about humanity.

It depends on what value you place on the job. If you *NEED* the job, then who cares what you're contracted for? If you *NEED* the job, then you would have accepted it even if the contracts said you have to work weekends. If you don't value the job that much, then just don't go; you stated that you weren't available. Too many people think that employers are doing them a favour by employing them. In a free market you are both exchanging capital (his money for your labour) for mutual advantage. As long as the trade remains advantageous to you then stay. If and when it is no longer advantageous then it's time to renegotiate the trade, or end it. So what I'm saying is that if you don't get angry, and look at it for what it is, then you'll be able to get the best deal you can. If you let emotion cloud your judgement then you're missing the point and may not get the best result. If you then get the permanent job you can examine your contract, and if it implies that overtime is voluntary, THEN it could be rational to hold them to the contract, as is your right.

I would much rather celebrate what HM does for this country and what she stands for than I would celebrate what a nest lining, trough swilling 'elected' (but not necessarily by majority) politician stands for. But then I did work for her for 23 years so I suppose I am biased. There's an implied distinction in there which I can't quite make out... Anyhow, enjoy celebrating your subjugation to a family who view you simply as cattle ! I've got a puncture so I can't take advantage

what's so stupid about having a good time with getting together with the family and celebrating our countries heritage..? Exactly that. This country's heritage. Corrupt to the core. Why wouldn't everyone want to celebrate their unelected officials? I hope the barge sinks and the bitch drowns ; ) And her little dogs too!voice>

You could shrink that list down a bit. An independant scotland wouldn't need defense, just as the UK presently doesn't need anything like the defense capabilities it currently has (now that we have the Ministry of Defense, rather than the old Ministry of War/War Council). Scotland could probably get a good deal renting out Faslane, etc.

In that case good luck. Choose the path that makes the most sense and live regret free knowing you made the sensible choice. You can be ready to take advantage when fate smiles upon you, and prepare for when she decides to kick you in the nuts. Beyond that there is nothing you can do.