How do I block a (mains) smoke alarm (so my steam cleaner doesn't trigger it)

[SimonJ]

You can clearly see how skint students are by the number of them that walk around all night getting pissed, on my taxes.

[w_tom]

If the population has 'no incentive to find it', then how do you explain Norway?. Why is France currently more productive (per hour worked) than the US?

The problem with some government programs is that they become distorted by legalized bribery? When an Amtrak line exists from Chicago to Philadelphia, then why must a Chicago traveler pass through Washington DC? Legalized bribery wanted Amtrak to operate in WV.

Three nuclear power plants had a potential Three Mile Island problem. Two shutdown for repairs. The third (in Toledo OH) remained operational. Amazing what a $450,000 fund raiser for Bush Cheney can do. Later a hole was discovered in that plant's 6 inch containment vessel. No problem. Nobody died. Therefore there was no corruption?

Appreciate that government programs do sometimes work as good, sometimes better, than private sector. But the question being asked is about getting best results for the buck (quid). Some countries that pay more taxes and get more services do have better standards of living. But this is really more about who top management is. A politician routinely bribed by campaign contributions or a corporate executive in collusion with his competition (or with no competition). That says far more about 'incentives'; why some private sector and public sector solutions don't work.

D> The problem is when the government gives support and opportunity

[alarman]

I don't think I misread you, but I agree that an argument would be pointless, as neither one of us will ever give an inch. I hope you have a merry Christmas, Peter. js

[Mark Leuck]

I've been to Norway, nice place if you like very high taxes, and France currently has a 10.5% unemployment rate, ask the mulim population in the suburbs how government welfare is.

Exactly, and that happens when you turn over welfare to the government

I don't quite follow your link to Bush/Cheney on that, maybe your KOS friends can explain it better

[robertlbass]

Your ignorance is showing... again.

[Frank Olson]

The "necrotic aspect" happens rarely. Most individuals bitten by the brown recluse don't even know they've been bitten. Like I said, I think their reputation has been a bit "overblown" by the media.

[Frank Olson]

But not as often as yours...

[Dave Plowman (News)]

[snip]

Tell me, what is the point of starting a new thread totally OT for this newsgroup without giving it a title suitable to the content?

[Peter Taylor]

Thank you JS. I wish the same for you and yours.

Peter peter(at)euphonium(dot)plus(dot)com

[Andy Luckman (AJL Electronics)]

Just the posting upside down problem to sort now.

[Andy Luckman (AJL Electronics)]

What planet is this on?

Yes, so that Blair's followers can have cushy pen pushing non jobs.

A socialist government will never be able to achieve that. All they do is borrow money we can't afford to repay and pump the "civil" service full of wasted employment.

[Andy Dingley]

Don't blame Socialism for Blair's labour party !