OT - Lights going out in three years

[Jules Richardson]

I'll send you all a care package of AA batteries if someone will send me some bacon/HP sauce/black puddin' in return... ;-)

cheers

Jules

[Robin]

They knew full well the problem: officials were brave enough to tell even them and their acolytes ever-so-diplomatically, and over and over again. But New Labour were took to new heights the ability of politicians to defer difficult decisions and to put party before country.

[mark]

That there would be a problem has been known for years. Building new power stations costs billions and takes years if you factor in the planning/protests/nimbyism etc. Buying time with wind/solar/low energy bulbs/ subsidised loft insulation/ cavity wall insulation and so on is relatively cheap and probably a lot cheaper than subsidising nuclear.

Rather than have your envy bubbling to the surface you should salute those who have had the gumption and wherewithal to take the incentives on offer. They have saved the shortsighted from the risk of blackouts this year instead of in 3 years.

How has the consumer been robbed? You might as well apply that logic to anyone who has bought a subsidised light bulb or roll of loft insulation. Energy saving and alternative generation also makes this country less dependent on imports and the whims of Johnny foreigner to cut off supplies.

mark

[Jules Richardson]

Even when the first child turns out to be an asshat, so they have another one just to see if that works out any better? Maybe there should be some sort of trade-in scheme.

[SteveW]

Not necessary. We need a certain minimum number of babies so as to guarantee a future workforce, carers, taxpayers for the future as the number of retirees continues to increase. Having babies is very expensive and it therefore makes sense to support families financially. At the moment, births are actually well below replacement numbers - if you discount immigration and the children of immigrants. Maybe this is where we should be looking.

SteveW

[Robin]

I thought that'd just lead to a good breakfast for the CBP staff who confiscate the bacon and pudding - and probably drop the sauce bottle ;)

Can you cultivate someone in the British Embassy/Consulate/World Bank etc?

[Huge]

Post-partum abortion.

[Huge]

[Andy Cap]

Essential. If the Third World totally justifiably wish to attain the same standard of living as the West, consumption and cost of EVERYTHING will rocket. There will inevitably be a war. Continual growth is a stupid concept. What is needed is quality of life not quantity.

Andy C

[John Rumm]

Which one could argue was a necessary step to dismantle the strangle hold of the unions over British industry in general (and the government for that matter).

Not encouraging is it?

It will be interesting to see how quickly they start to try and bail on the green commitments once the pressure is on...

[Jo Stein]

On 05.10.2012 14:33, mark wrote: ...

Johnny foreigner will send the gas to the customer that pay the highest prize:

The pipeline runs 1,166 kilometres (725 mi) through the North Sea

I hope that prize will be very high, as it will help us all to get cheap nuclear energy.

[Bill Wright]

And to reduce immigration, and to somehow persuade the British Asians to reduce their birthrates so they match the rest of the population.

Of course it's all too late now; the damage is done.

Bill

[Bill Wright]

Well, there are people who live entirely on benefits. It's a lifestyle choice.

Bill

[Bill Wright]

Taper 'em off? I'd bloody cut 'em off.

Bill

[Bill Wright]

As it is they deliberately filled the country with immigrants so as to boost the Labour vote.

Bill

[Man at B&Q]

None of which negates the sentiment that the population is too large and we should have less babies.

We no longer have any real labour intensive industries and people are living longer healthier lives and can remain economically active much longer.

MBQ

[Man at B&Q]

+1.

Love her or hate her, Margaret Thatcher was exactly what the UK needed in 1979.

MBQ

[mark]

A lot of people agree about reducing the population but not that many are voluunteering themselves to be part of that reduction.

mark

[Huge]

It's very simple; don't have children.

I haven't, and so far as I am concerned, that's my contribution to saving the planet. You can shove the rest of it.

[Rick Hughes]

Every spare hillside in my area is sprouting windmills ..... maybe that will also start making a difference