Depressed and getting cynical

[Dmacca]

Is anyone feeling depressed by the current economic situation, rising food, fuel, gas, electricity costs how are we gonna cope is there anything to be happy about at the moment.

I just wonder if there is some sort of agenda going on, Heard on the radio that GM crops could make food more plentyful = cheaper, certain people have been trying for some time now to get GM stuff acceptable, well food is getting more and more expensive were all gonna jump at a solution to make it cheaper and cave in to this GM culture.

Global warming save the planet great excuse to put taxes up, scare us all to death so that they can hit us in the pocket for cars, rubbish, heating bills, flights etc. What are we actually paying for, Wars, migrants etc?

Has anyone ever wondered how making car TAX far more expensive for driving a 4x4 will actually save the planet? and by the way I have not or never have had a 4 x 4

[SMEE]

Its greed, plain and simple! Our prices for foods and services go thro the roof yet the companies post record profits. Seems to be a pattern there!

[Dmacca]

Agree with that Smee

[VIVA LAS TOKLEY]

The government has raked in a extra ?4.4 billion since the beginning of the year from fuel duty.  Where's the new roads, schools, hospital, policemen, teachers........oh sorry I forgot there's a war in afghanastan & iraq they've to pay for.

[starchief]

From the outside, the UK's actually pretty stable.  When it comes to economic problems, you're actually doing better than most other major countries.

And the stats say migrants actually bring in money to the country, so not that.

[SMEE]

the stats say migrants actually bring in money to the country, so not that.

These self same stats said there would be around 400 000 migrants last year...there was about 3 million! Stats mean nothing. These migrants come here, make their money, spend it in their own foodstores etc then sod off when they made enuff. Not exactly wat I would call bringing in money

[Charles Bannerman]

Part of the problem with food prices is that a certain amount of arable land is being used to grow plants for biodiesel instead. This cuts food supply and hence raises prices. However this is a completely specious situation since using biodiesel only reduces net CO2 if, as a result of using it, you increase the total capacity of the planet to carry out photosynthesis. That would only happen if you increase the amount of cultivated land - not simply through substituting one form of plant for another on the same land.

There's a lot of bad science and pseudoscience being used in the furtherance of the green agenda. I just don't understand, for instance, why no one has so far come up with a simple demonstration of how a gas (CO2) which exists in the atmosphere to an extent of 350 parts per million has the radical effect on climate which water vapour, which is there to a far greater extent, apparently doesn't.

[starchief]

the stats say migrants actually bring in money to the country, so not that.

These self same stats said there would be around 400 000 migrants last year...there was about 3 million! Stats mean nothing. These migrants come here, make their money, spend it in their own foodstores etc then sod off when they made enuff. Not exactly wat I would call bringing in money

You mean Irish bars?  That's where most migrants are from.  McDonalds?  The US is the next most populous group in Scotland.  Ah, no you mean those 'Daily Mail' migrants.  So the Jamaican/Polish/Indian shops don't need to pay rates, taxes etc?  Somehow it all goes to their own governments? Apparently, the workers don't pay taxes or national insurance either.  Tell me where you get your info from? Whoops, sorry - in your blind ignorance, you must be right - who needs data  :rolleyes02:

It always amazes me when people are this narrow minded.  Go to any country and you'll find a Scotsman.  If we send the migrants back (although you seem to say 'keep them here') then are you prepared for Canada, Australia, NZ, S. Africa, India, the USA, Pakistan etc etc to send ours back.  Believe me, we'd be far more populated.

[SMEE]

Where do YOU get YOUR facts from? Are you trying to say yanks are the second biggest nationality in Scotland? Ad like to see where you gleaned your info from.

Oh...and the difference between Scots migrants and the ones we see arrive on our shore is...the Scots migrants are there for the long haul, to fit in and become part of a community, and arent there to make a quick buck, take advantage of the services on offer then sod off back where they came from, whereas the ones we are playing host to do exactly that. Unless 90% of the articles i have witnessed are fabricated

[starchief]

For Irish to be the most populous immigrants to the UK - quite obvious I would say.

For Americans - last census (http://news.scotsman.com/scotlandspopulation/American-influx-cant-stem-Scotlands.2597712.jp)

You're lumping in all migrants together.  Indian sub-continent migrants have been here for decades and tend to stay the term and bring up families.

Poles have been here only a short time, so still can't really see what will happen there long-term.  There was an outcry that underestimated the amount that came over but then it seemed, as you said, very few remained.  You appear to be unusual in wanting them to stay around.  Even the right-wing Migration Watch UK says that migrants have benefited the economy.

So, there's where I get some of my facts from but of course they're only statistics  :023:

By the way, I work internationally.  From Siberia to Canada, Egypt to Nigeria, there are always healthy bands of ex-pats.  The Scots and Irish being particularly prominent there.  No, they don't stay long-term.  A few years or months then on to the next project.  Brings in money for the host country and skills they either don't have or don't have enough of.

[SMEE]

According to the source you posted, there were an estimated 10 000 yanks living in Scotland, that figures coming from the US consulate.

An estimated 25 000 Polish migrants arrived in Scotland in 2006 alone!

I dont know where you get the idea i want "them" to stay. Couldnt be further from the truth as far as certain nationalities are concerned!

[starchief]

I dont know where you get the idea i want "them" to stay.

How about castigating migrants for coming over on the short-term, making money then 'sodding' off unlike your defence of Scots migrants who you (mistakenly) believe stay in the host country, becoming part of their culture (just doesn't happen with ex-pats in general).

Couldnt be further from the truth as far as certain nationalities are concerned!

I could have given you the benefit of the doubt (as our immigration policy is far from perfect) had you expressed concerns over the impact to the economy, over-population or strain on the social services (though that would be more likely refugees rather than contributing migrants) but as it's only 'certain nationalities', then it's sheer unadulterated racism.  All correspondence is closed  :alien06:

[SMEE]

  All correspondence is closed 

Good, cant be bothered with pp like yourself who are quick to label ppl coz they exercise their right to form an opinion. Since i didnt express an opinion that they were in some way inferior to me, then how can it be called racism :024:

However.....C YAaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa :sillywave: :sillywave:

[tm4tj]

girls, girls, girls,

continue the argument on private messaging please.

[Joonya]

And the stats say migrants actually bring in money to the country, so not that.

I worked with a French man in my hotel days in coventry, and he informed me that anyone living in the UK of any nationality (outside British) can claim ALL thier tax back, and will get every penny if they stay away fr 5 years... Not sure if any of this is true, but I would probably do the same if i was polish/french/german etc etc.

work in britain for x-amount of years and recieve a hefty payment to f*** off home for 5 more....