TopGun

Well, yes. I suppose what I mean is that in our current timeframe, the € is likely to outpunch the £ so we ourselves will suffer. A future fragmentation of Europe or something similar could obviously alter those facts. I'm just viewing it on the current position.

It's a possibility that Europe will fragment drastically at some stage but it's unlikely we will see it. I accept the diversity of culture argument but that's not credible when we are discussing economics. If anything, the € ensures that the sum of Eurozone output is bigger than individual parts. Which obviously could lead to political enlargement with a US of Europe that could then cause problems culturally down the line but we are not going to be around that long.

Yes, but ultimately any currency is based on underlying size and strength of an economy. Now the € is accepted and past its fledgling stage it is going to be more trusted as the Eurozone pumps out far more GDP than the UK.

I don't mean it in a subjective sense TDD, just an economic one. It's like trying to hang on to sailing ships when others have gas turbine powered ships.

Quite right, it's just probabilities.

The problem with that argument is two-fold. The € has taken 10 years to be implemented and to establish itself as a trading currency for both financial trust and technology based trading reasons but it is pretty much there now. That same period also coincided with an extraordinary good run for the British economy largely based on a lot of now dispelled myths about the strength of the UK banking system. To expect the £ to continue to trade blows equally with the $, €, Yen and possibly the Yuan is like expecting Saints to continue to cut it with higher end Premiership teams. It's fantasy. We can keep the £ as little islanders but, if we do, we will lose out elsewhere longer term.

This is true. Both jatropha and algae are effectively being proven as "drop-in" fuels but it requires a sustained high oil price for further R&D and commercial production viability. Also, to currently replace all the kerosene used globally each year by commercial aviation, you would need a land mass the size of SA to grow required jatropha and one the size of Belgium for algae tanks. Not to say that there is not enough marginal land that could be used for such purposes in coastal deserts etc but it will be mightily expensive to set up as well as taking years. Air New Zealand is one airline that intends to have 10% renewable fuels by 2010, which may be a tad ambitious.

It depends what you read. Airbus and Boeing forecast that they will be building more aircraft than ever in the future but in reality price led demand will dictate the number of aircraft and flights. That's difficult to predict with any accuracy. Obviously vested interests such as BAA want the third runway as they don't want to lose transit flights between the US and far east and Asia to airports like Dubai.

The fact is building a third runway at heathrow is cheaper than any other schemes mentioned above such as Thames Estuary, Manston, more rail links etc. It is inevitable following the construction of T5 that the govt will opt for it. Airspace is not an issue either as new technology air traffic management (ATM) systems will be introduced over the next decade that will mean planes can fly more closely and safely than ever before. They will also be able to fly more direct routes rather the current point to point system. This will mean a massive reduction in holding patterns that cause significant pollution and noise. Emissions are obviously an issue but better ATM, improved aircraft and potential phased introduction of renewable jet fuels over the next few years will help to allay that. The EU aviation emissions trading scheme (ETS) also begins in 2012 which acts a further pollution mitigant as it will charge airlines for excessive emissions and push up the cost of flights making many flights simply uneconomical for airlines and ensuring that seat occupancies are higher than at present on many routes. The ETS will also drive the most polluting older aircraft from the skies.

Of course I am I bet a chimpanzee listening to Stephen Hawking thinks he's talking nonsense too... Lol at Monday morning bad moods. :cool:

I guess if Hoddle thinks they're good enough he circulates a CV to clubs.

Chicken George.

Five seasons and 18 months into the game and I have won my division 6 title. W00t! Got to play a qualifier for promotion though and the chances of winning it are very remote. Sigh.

Quite a good piece about Hoddle's academy in Spain. http://news.bbc.co.uk/newsbeat/hi/newsbeat/newsid_7820000/7820412.stm

Let's hope it all goes t1ts up.

I see Beckham started.

Oh god, what have I started now?

I guess it keeps it nice and simple.

Same as the Met then...

Clearly institutionally racist organisations.

To be phased out like incandescent lightbulbs for using too much energy. http://www.independent.co.uk/environment/green-living/giant-plasma-tvs-face-ban-in-battle-to-green-britain-1299665.html

Well, he is a Hewitt. Not the brightest genealogy.

I'm sure he will stay but it is clear that JP and Lowe have accepted that player experience is required alongside youth and total football. I think we will stay up now.

The other A team striker should have gone first. But anyway, Steve Moran.

He's turning into Richard Whitely.