[Closed] Still send £billions to Pakistan to fight 'terrorism' or send money to Japan?

put it back into the economy

More worrying fact for me is that of the nuclear plant.
With more to be built in this country. One about 25miles from where I live .. accidents and natural disasters like this really do happen. So the potential for another Chernobyl is still there. 😕

Isn't Japan a fair bit richer than us?
Do they need any money?

Oh, jeeeezus. Not more NIMBY, namby-pandering, half an O-Level science, hemp-dressing hippy nonsense. Just because you've seen it happen on the news, doesn't mean it'll happen here. For several reasons, mainly:

1) The UK doesn't lie on an active fault line. Yes, it does lie on a fault, but believe me, if that goes you'll be begging for a quick death from nuclear holocaust.

2) Japan's reactors are 40 years old. Since we don't all drive Morris Marinas we can safely assume that reactor technology has progressed slightly over the past half century. Any new reactors to be built in the UK will be generation IV, and will have the safety characteristics inherent in a graphite-moderated, helium cooled core.

'kin hell, do some research first. People like you are the reason we have so many bloody coal plants dotted around the country - which, funnily enough, release more nuclear material into the environment over their lifetime than ANY nuclear reactor, leaking or not.

Well, it's a nuclear plant ... you built it we charge you for clean up.

[b]Japan is the riches nation in the world![/b] WTF do we need to give them financial aid for?

Now [b]it is the time to charge Japan massive consultation fees [/b]to assist the clean up.

This financial aid ... WTF ... withdraw them all and start again with proper assessment.

Flaperon +1

Chewkw ...my thoughts exactly.

Japan is not the wealthiest in the world. Nor is its economy healthy - it was in recession all last year, and it has the "world's largest public-debt". If you are too selfish to want to help a country in dire crises, then perhaps help them because a ****ed up Japanese economy will have a negative effect on us.

See when you're upto your eyeballs in debt - dont go giving money away.

Flaperon +1

Ernie Lynch +1

I'd rather pay money to help Japan rebuild than for Trident renewal and subsidising the arms trade.

SOD JAPAN AND EVERY OTHER COUNTRY! UK FIRST! WE HAVE OUR OWN PROBLEMS!

Their GDP is double ours! They don't need our help.
They are the 2nd or 3rd wealthiest nation on earth. They could be in recession for 30 years and still be richer than us. The Japanese govt are more than capable of sorting this out themselves.
Should we take aid from africa to help them then?

Well said Backhander.

Eh am I missing something? There's a big difference between helping people get a roof over there head, fed and medical attention and just giving them money. It's about human decency if we can help in any way we should, even if that's just to get them on there feet sooner so things don't get worse.

If the shit hit the fan here I'm sure you guys would be the 1st to refuse foreign aid eh?

Their GDP is double ours!

Well the fact that they have more double the population we have, might have something to do with it. Their GDP per capita is less than ours.

The Japanese govt are more than capable of sorting this out themselves.

And yet they are asking for help. Even Thailand has pledged to help them. Initially the Thai gov is sending $167,000 in aid to Japan. And it is certain that Britain will also help - Tory gov ministers aren't quite as short-sighted and petty as some STWers.

gravitysucks - Member

Eh am I missing something? There's a big difference between helping people get a roof over there head, fed and medical attention and just giving them money. It's about human decency if we can help in any way we should, even if that's just to get them on there feet sooner so things don't get worse.

If the shit hit the fan here I'm sure you guys would be the 1st to refuse foreign aid eh?

Yes, helping others by sending expert rescue team over etc but pumping in financially aid?

Also post help do we get some contracts?

chewkw - Member

Japan is the riches nation in the world!

TBH I take it for granted that anyone who's opposed to helping them will come out with this sort of total uninformed crap, but it's still not nice to see it.

Sure we have our own problems, do they include tens of thousands of people missing and possibly trapped under rubble, infrastructure destroyed, quarter of a million people displaced, cities under water? Not that I'd noticed.

Okay not the riches. Sending help yes but financially ... Check this out.

[url= http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_by_GDP_%28nominal%29_per_capita ]GDP[/url]

Yes? So now you admit you're talking pish about the "world's richest" which is a good step, and you seem to understand that their economy when [i]healthy[/i] is barely stronger than ours, so you've made the 2 steps that should lead you to understanding why when their country's ****ed, they could do with a hand. So do it

Northwind - Member

Yes? So now you admit you're talking pish about the "world's biggest economy" which is a good step, and you seem to understand that their economy when healthy is barely stronger than ours, so you've made the 2 steps that should lead you to understanding why when their country's ****ed, they could do with a hand. So do it

World biggest economy ...

[url= http://www.economywatch.com/economies-in-top/ ]World biggest economy[/url]

So more than double UK ...

There is aid and there is financial aid ...

Check this out.

And check this [url= https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/rankorder/2004rank.html?countryName=Japan&countryCode=ja&regionCode=eas&rank=38#ja ]out[/url]

BTW tell me Chewwwy, do you always check someone's bank account before helping them ?
Are you some sort of "vindictive socialist" ?

How much did we send in aid after hurricane katrina? How much have we sent to NZ?
We send money to africa, some of the poorest nations on earth and quite rightly so but Japan?

Tory gov ministers aren't quite as short-sighted and petty as some STWers.

ernie_lynch - Member

BTW tell me Chewwwy, do you always check someone's bank account before helping them ? Are you some sort of "vindictive socialist" ?

Crikey ... CIA compiling economy data ... LOL!

No, but I doubt I need to pump in financial help say to someone richer than me unless they are bankrupt totally. Yes, help but financially ...

LOL! "vindictive socialist"? I prefer Dear Leaders. Long live Dear Leaders! 😈

Can't you do your own googling backhander ?

[i]The UK sent aid worth 3 million euros after hurricane katrina. It also offered medical experts, Urban Search and Rescue equipment, Marine engineers and high-volume pumps, skilled personnel including engineers who could support recovery efforts for installations and systems, technicians, staff trained in disaster management and emergency response activities. It also pledged to release an extra 2.2 million barrels (350,000 m3) of oil.[/i]

It's a bit early to know what total UK aid to NZ will be.

Can't you tell the difference bteween sending money and

The UK sent aid [b]worth[/b] 3 million euros

Crikey ... CIA compiling economy data ... LOL!

News to you Chewwwwy ?

Well the CIA has a long history of compiling economic data on countries - that's why [u]your[/u] link devoted a whole column to CIA economic data. Hadn't you noticed what your link contained ?

ernie_lynch - Member

Crikey ... CIA compiling economy data ... LOL!

News to you Chewwwwy ?

Well the CIA has a long history of compiling economic data on countries - that's why your link devoted a whole column to CIA economic data. Hadn't you noticed what your link contained ?

Yes, read the GDP list again as all of them indicated higher ranking than UK including CIA in 2010 🙄

Ernie?

Sorry, this is getting a little too silly, pedantic, and petty, for me now ..... I need to do stuff

chewkw - Member

"Yes, read the GDP list again as all of them indicated higher ranking than UK including CIA in 2010"

Yep and you know what? If they hadn't just had a gigantic earthquake trashing a significant proportion of the country, those numbers would be quite relevant. Has it not crossed your mind that their productivity might be just a [i]little[/i] bit reduced?

it was in recession all last year

and we're still in recession

We are capable of looking after ourselves, so are they.

Oh, as a really quick aside- OP, we don't send "billions" to ****stan as far as I can tell, according to the Beeb in 09/10 we sent 140 million. Though it's possible there's more aid out of different areas/budgets, I don't see it.

Northwind - Member
Yep and you know what? If they hadn't just had a gigantic earthquake trashing a significant proportion of the country, those numbers would be quite relevant. Has it not crossed your mind that their productivity might be just a little bit reduced?

Okay, I did not see that far so send them the financial aid then ...

[s]In the meantime, could someone send me some financial aid please as I need to down tool for a year to recharge my energy because I am so so tired ...[/s]

In the meantime, could someone please send me some financial aid please as I need to down tool as I need a year to recharge my energy because I am so so tired ...

Yeah because that's exactly the same you callous prick

Lifer - Member

Yeah because that's exactly what's happened you callous prick

Is name calling necessary?

I mean do you actually do that when others have different opinion?

Or do you really need people to agree with you otherwise they are ... ?

😯

The UK sent aid worth 3 million euros after hurricane katrina. It also offered medical experts, Urban Search and Rescue equipment, Marine engineers and high-volume pumps, skilled personnel including engineers who could support recovery efforts for installations and systems, technicians, staff trained in disaster management and emergency response activities. [b]It also pledged to release an extra 2.2 million barrels (350,000 m3) of oil.[/b]

Is that a jab at BP? Kind of funny if it is, I love black humour me! 🙂

The Japanese didn't hesitate to send help to NZ.

chewkw - Member

Lifer - Member

Yeah because that's exactly what's happened you callous prick

Is name calling necessary?

I mean do you actually do that when others have different opinion?

Or do you really need people to agree with you otherwise they are ... ?

Has nothing to do with a difference of opinion.

warton - Member

it was in recession all last year

[b]"and we're still in recession

We are capable of looking after ourselves, so are they"[/b]

We are not in recession. The UK economy might not be the healthiest it's ever been, but it is not in recession. It seems to me that some people conveniently make up stuff to suit whatever point they are trying to make.

And as for [i]"We are capable of looking after ourselves, so are they"[/i] what are you, trolling or something ? 😕

They have just had entire town and cities, and their infrastructures, destroyed, how does that compare with us ?

Flaperon - Member
Oh, jeeeezus. Not more NIMBY, namby-pandering, half an O-Level science, hemp-dressing hippy nonsense. Just because you've seen it happen on the news, doesn't mean it'll happen here. For several reasons, mainly:

1) The UK doesn't lie on an active fault line. Yes, it does lie on a fault, but believe me, if that goes you'll be begging for a quick death from nuclear holocaust.

2) Japan's reactors are 40 years old. Since we don't all drive Morris Marinas we can safely assume that reactor technology has progressed slightly over the past half century. Any new reactors to be built in the UK will be generation IV, and will have the safety characteristics inherent in a graphite-moderated, helium cooled core.

'kin hell, do some research first. People like you are the reason we have so many bloody coal plants dotted around the country - which, funnily enough, release more nuclear material into the environment over their lifetime than ANY nuclear reactor, leaking or not.

The point is. That incidents, accidents or natural disasters do and will happen.
I did not say an earthquake .. you did.
There is no fail safe against the unpredicted or unexpected.
Japan has a long history of earth quakes. Do you consider that the designers of the plant in question did not have safety measures in place for such an event?
My point is that the repercussions of a nuclear plant going tits-up is .. well you don `t need half an O-level to know the answer to that.

Lifer - Member

Has nothing to do with a difference of opinion.

[b]What is it then as I am interested to know.[/b]

So far I have argued that:

1. The nation is richer than us hence no financial aid requires.

2. Aid yes. i.e. sending rescue teams with specialist equipments etc.

3. They rank higher than UK in all three lists.

4. They are developed nation.

5. I did not foresee the future which Northwind reminded.

6. Then I gave an example to illustrate or to ask if one were to down tool and require financial aid would one get one? Which can be consider rather similar to Northwind suggestion to rebuild etc but not in large scale perhaps but nevertheless suffering.

😯

So anti terrorism in ****stan or humanitarian aid in Japan?

I would rather the money was spent shooting callous halfwits.

prahran - Member

So anti terrorism in ****stan or humanitarian aid in Japan?

Actually both do not require financial aid to be frank.

Yes, they all need aid/help but not in a way that money is pump into their govt but to give them something to solve their immediate problems by sending over equipments, experts etc.

What is it then as I am interested to know.

1700 missing/dead (and rising)
300,000 evacuated (and rising)
Cost to the economy? (on top of debt of 200% GDP - ours is about 70%)

And you compared it to being tired.

Yes, they all need aid/help but not in a way that money is pump into their govt but to give them something to solve their immediate problems by sending over equipments, experts etc.

[url= http://curiouscapitalist.blogs.time.com/2011/03/12/could-japan%E2%80%99s-earthquake-cause-a-debt-crisis/ ]Could Japan's Earthquake cause a debt crisis?[/url]

Standard & Poor's just downgraded Japan's credit rating in January. After the quake, it will only become more difficult for the Japanese government to curtail is deficits and debt.

That's because of a combination of factors. First, the government will have to spend money to undertake reconstruction of the cities and infrastructure damaged by the quake and tsunami, putting upward pressure on fiscal spending. Secondly, we're likely to see at least a temporary hit to growth and some manufacturing, transport and consumption will be disrupted. In normal circumstances, that hit probably wouldn't be a big deal, but the recovery of the Japanese economy had run out of steam even before the quake hit. Japan's GDP in the final quarter of 2010 contracted by an annualized 1.3%. With the economy in the doldrums, and a human tragedy unfolding in the country's north, we can imagine the difficulties Japan's leaders will have even talking about fiscal austerity programs of the type being implemented in Europe.

I would rather the money was spent shooting halfwits.

Lifer - Member

What is it then as I am interested to know.

1700 missing/dead (and rising)
300,000 evacuated (and rising)
Cost to the economy? (on top of debt of 200% GDP - ours is about 70%)

And you compared it to being tired.

Okay being "tired" is a bad example, my bad (an expression I learned from my Texan cowboy mate), so perhaps I could have illustrated with an example of equal suffering.

But get this ... you can call label me however you like as I don't understand this ...

They are a developed nation, rank higher than us in all three lists, perhaps technologically even far more advance than us, better equipped and yet they are "poorer" than us according to some. So am I right in saying that all those lists are shite with their measurements and the world has gone mad in not comprehending reality, ranking wise?

🙄

chewkw - Member

5. I did not foresee the future which Northwind reminded.

WTF? The earthquake has already happened, you didn't need to be a fortune teller to understand that it'll impact their ecomony.

Honestly, you are such an incredible mong. Get a head swap, it's the only hope.

Northwind - Member

WTF? The earthquake has already happened, you didn't need to be a fortune teller to understand that it'll impact their ecomony.

Honestly, you are such an incredible mong. Get a head swap, it's the only hope.

Yes, but it's difficult to say since they are a developed economy and technologically might be more advance than us, so how much impact we do not know apart from knowing certain areas being badly affected.

We could all buy some nice shiny Shimano stuff to help out their economy.

We are not in recession.

anyway apologies for the pedantry, but there is an esoteric link - if the japanese get back on their economic feet a bit quicker then it reduces the risk to our economy - plus the fact that the japanese would help us out if we were on the receiving end

do what andyl said, buy new shimano

if the next quarter is classed as negative growth (like the last one was) then we're in recession

Double-dip recession ? Never !

I have an unshakable faith in the economic policies of the Tory LibDem coalition ... private sector growth will save us all.

How could anyone [i]not[/i] trust these two guys ?

[img] [/img]

They must be laughing because they sit opposite Ed Milliband!

[img] [/img]

They all look alike ... 🙄

Bloody career politicians ...

Oxboy - Member

They must be laughing because they sit opposite Ed Milliband!

Yup, Tory Toffs always laugh at Labour and the lower classes.....that's why I trust them so.

BTW Oxboy, do you still vote BNP ?

Labour and the lower classes

Why's that backhander ? A quick search shows that record has never been played before.

I've just got in from the pub and I'm confused.

Isn't it Woppit's role in life to start this sort of thread?

edhornby - Member

"anyway apologies for the pedantry, but there is an esoteric link - if the japanese get back on their economic feet a bit quicker then it reduces the risk to our economy - plus the fact that the japanese would help us out if we were on the receiving end"

Someone said on the news earlier that Japan is "only" our 3rd biggest market. I wondered who the second was, and turned out that it was "all of Europe put together". So yeah, it's quite a big deal for britain if their economy gets worse.

We're all screwed! F*@k it!

Northwind - Member

Someone said on the news earlier that Japan is "only" our 3rd biggest market. I wondered who the second was, and turned out that it was "all of Europe put together". So yeah, it's quite a big deal for britain if their economy gets worse.

So why are their consumption so high and what are they consuming? All eggs in one basket ...

According to UK Trade and Investment, the exports are mainly in healthcare, machinery and transport, but also food and drink.

No idea what you mean by "all eggs in one basket" though. Their consumption isn't high by developed economy standards IIRC, there's just lots of them.

(aside: I just found this fantastic quote on a crap economy website, "The main trading partners of UK in 2003 were European Union, US, Asia, Middle East, Australia, Latin America and Africa." Or in other words, everyone apart from penguins and martians.)

According to UK Trade and Investment, the exports are mainly in healthcare, machinery and transport,

SOD JAPAN AND EVERY OTHER COUNTRY! UK FIRST! WE HAVE OUR OWN PROBLEMS!

Apparently the UK has a critical shortage of lower case letters. Luckily as the Japanese use a different character set this latest event shouldn't disrupt the global lower case Latin supply. That's a good thing, seeing as vowel stocks were particularly under pressure following the NZ aftershocks in Kaiapoi, Te Anau and Akaroa.